Credit: Imago, TNT Sports

Oliver Walton

Wed 20 May 2026 20:51, UK

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Matty Cash was fortunate to stay on the pitch in the first half of Aston Villa‘s Europa League final clash against Freiburg.

Former PGMOL chief Keith Hackett has insisted that the Villa right-back deserved to be dismissed for a rash tackle on Vincenzo Grifo.

Cash lunged in on the Freiburg captain in the 21st minute of the final and was subsequently booked by match referee Francois Letexier.

Replays showed that the Poland star caught Grifo’s shin with his studs up, but the challenge was checked and cleared by VAR official Jerome Bisard.

It would have been a disaster if Cash was sent off in the early stages of Aston Villa’s biggest match in decades, and he can seemingly count himself lucky that he did not see red.

Keith Hackett slams Francois Letexier for failure to send Matty Cash off

Cash saw his side go ahead in Istanbul just minutes before the break through a fine volley from Youri Tielemans.

Villa will now feel like genuine favourites to lift the Europa League, but things could have been very different had the right-back been sent off.

Speaking exclusively to Football Insider, ex-PGMOL boss Hackett said: That is a serious foul play challenge that should have resulted in Matty Cash receiving a red card.

“He has turned, and with studs showing, is in contact high up on his opponent’s leg. (Francois) Letexier, whom I rate highly, should have applied the law.”

Unai Emery will surely take Cash off after getting away with red card tackle

Cash put in a solid shift in the first half aside from his poor challenge on Grifo, with one chance created and seven passes into the final third.

Despite his nature as Emery’s clear first-choice right-back, he will surely be in line to be one of the first Villa players sacrificed in the second half.

They will need to hold onto their 2-0 lead as Freiburg pile the pressure on, with Lamare Bogarde probably the most likely candidate to replace him.

Sources have previously told Football Insider that Villa are open to offers for Bogarde, but he can write himself into club folklore with a strong showing off the bench here.