This video can not be played 'I think she's made an obvious error' - Pundits disagree with Chelsea disallowed goal Chelsea manager Sonia Bompastor said the women's game needs "more respect" as she voiced frustrations at the standard of officiating in their Women's Champions League quarter-final first leg defeat by Arsenal. The Blues lost 3-1 at the Emirates but had two goals disallowed - the first a controversial decision with Veerle Buurman adjudged to have pushed Laia Codina before heading the ball into the back of the net in the first half. Had it stood, that would have halved Arsenal's two-goal lead at the time to 2-1, just before half-time.

After Romanian official Alina Pesu blew for a foul, the video assistant referee (VAR) checked the decision but did not find a clear and obvious reason to overturn the original ruling. The decision was called "outrageous" by former England captain Steph Houghton on BBC Radio 5 Live.

"It's really frustrating. It's always more difficult to complain about the referees when you have lost the game, but it's not good enough," said Bompastor. "We need to really find solutions. When you are playing a quarter-final of the Champions League, you need to respect the women's game. You need to respect the players. They work hard every week to put a good performance on the pitch. For sure, the first goal is a goal. I don't see, with the VAR, how you can disallow that goal. That's a shame to be honest. It is what it is and it's nothing we can control."

This video can not be played Russo settles thrilling Champions League first-leg for Arsenal Impressive Arsenal beat Chelsea in quarter-final first leg. Bompastor was visibly upset on the touchline as she approached the fourth official to question the decision. Chelsea's players looked bemused and their frustrations grew, including Bompastor kicking a bottle, when Kadeisha Buchanan's late effort was ruled out for a foul on goalkeeper Anneke Borbe, although replays showed that was the correct decision.

Asked what feedback she received from the officials on their decisions, Bompastor said: "Nothing. It's always the same. You go to them and ask them to check they made the right decision, they always say 'yeah, we are checking.' But they made the wrong decision. Nothing changes. When a human makes a mistake, you can understand a little more but when there is the VAR, it's really difficult.

"I don't think it's been the first time for us this season in the Champions League. When we played Barcelona, Catarina Macario's goal was not offside. That changes a lot. I just think they need to be better." Bompastor insisted she believes VAR is good for the women's game but that the officials using it must be the "right people to check the situations". Asked how the women's game could be respected more, Bompastor said the solution would be to bring the "best" referees to the biggest games. "If that has to be coming from the men's game, then maybe," she said. "If it is coming from the women's game, then [use] the best ones," she added. "We need to make those decisions. It's really frustrating. We need to bring competence which is the most important thing."

Pesu, 36, has officiated throughout this year's Women's Champions League and oversaw two games at last summer's European Championship, including the opening match between hosts Switzerland and Norway. This video can not be played Bompastor unimpressed with refereeing in the Champions League.

Houghton added it was "so clear" that the effort ruled out in the first half should have been allowed to stand. "I don't understand what VAR is seeing. Once the goalkeeper misses the ball, she [Buurman] just gets higher than Laia Codina and it is so clear to see it should be a goal," she said. "Chelsea will be so disappointed. That goal would have got them back into the game. It's a really soft decision. We have spoken so much of VAR in the men's game and now it's creeping into the women's game. They are there to do a job and they have not done it. Football is a contact sport, we keep forgetting about that and VAR is really spoiling it. It really annoyed me as it could have been a different game at 2-1."

London City Lionesses forward Nikita Parris said it was a "poor refereeing decision" while ex-striker Ellen White called for more composure from the officials. "The referee has to take a breath. She's very quick to blow her whistle and disallow the goal straight away," added White. "VAR has looked at it and said she hasn't made an obvious error. I think she has. If she doesn't blow that whistle, then it goes to VAR, and for me, the goal stands."

Chelsea will look to overturn the two-goal deficit - a feat they achieved against Manchester City last season - in the second leg on 1 April. Ben Haines, Ellen White and Jen Beattie are back for another season of the Women's Football Weekly podcast. New episodes drop every Tuesday on BBC Sounds, plus find interviews and extra content from the Women's Super League and beyond on the Women's Football Weekly feed.

Get the latest WSL news on our dedicated page Comments can not be loaded To load Comments you need to enable JavaScript in your browser