Here’s how Chelsea and Arsenal managers reacted as Katie McCabe avoided red for hair pull on Alyssa Thompson

Chelsea boss Sonia Bompastor unleashed a furious rant at the refereeing standards after Arsenal defender Katie McCabe avoided a red card for pulling Chelsea winger Alyssa Thompson’s hair in a dramatic Women’s Champions League quarter-final exit.

The incident happened in the fifth minute of stoppage time at Stamford Bridge. Chelsea had just scored through Sjoeke Nusken to make it 3-2 on aggregate and were pushing desperately for a leveller that would have taken the tie to extra time. As Thompson burst forward with the ball, McCabe reached out and tugged the American’s ponytail, bringing her to the ground. Referee Frida Mia Klarlund blew for a free-kick but issued no card, while VAR did not recommend a review.

Bompastor, visibly angry, was shown a yellow card for protesting and then sent off for a second booking. The French coach refused to leave the touchline and later used her mobile phone to show replay footage during a heated BBC  interview.

“For me, it is clearly a red card for the Arsenal player. She’s pulling Alyssa Thompson’s hair,” Bompastor said. “If the VAR is not able to check that situation, I don’t know why we have the VAR. I’m the one getting a red card when I think the Arsenal player should be the one getting a red card.”

She added that Thompson was left “crying and emotional” afterwards. “She’s trying her best on the pitch in both games and it is not good enough when you are playing football and someone pulls your hair, it’s bad,” Bompastor said.

The Chelsea manager also referenced similar complaints from the first leg at the Emirates Stadium, where her team had two goals disallowed. “Tonight we are speaking too much about the referees and that was the case last week. But everyone needs to understand that’s the difference between being qualified and not being qualified. It has a big impact on players. I’m really proud of my players they gave everything and they do not deserve that level of refereeing again.”

Arsenal manager Renee Slegers offered a calmer view and defended her player. “I didn’t see the incident on the pitch when it was happening but I did see Katie going to Alyssa to apologise. My assumption is it’s not intentional but it is of course unlucky,” she said.

Katie McCabe herself addressed the controversy on Instagram shortly after the match: “I just want to clarify that I was genuinely reaching for the shirt. I wouldn’t ever want to pull someone’s hair. Full respect to Thompson.”

Former England captain Steph Houghton was more critical, saying: “It doesn’t look great, does it? Chelsea had just scored, Thompson was driving with the ball. It is really, really cynical and it doesn’t look great.”

Arsenal held on to secure a 3-2 aggregate victory and advance to the semi-finalsbut the hair-pull incident and the managers’ contrasting reactions dominated the headlines.