Club Brugge goalie Simon Mignolet says the decision to penalize Tyrone Mings for his strange handball offence in Wednesday’s 1-0 win over Aston Villa was “very harsh,” but he has seen similar incidents before. The Villans defender, making his Champions League debut, picked up the ball from Emiliano Martinez’s goal kick, mistaking it for a pass from the keeper. The following penalty sent Villa to their first European defeat of the season.

Unai Emery labelled the moment as the “biggest mistake” he has seen in his career and decided to replace Mings 14 minutes later with the 31-year-old, who only returned from his cruciate ligament injury last week, on a yellow card.

Former Liverpool keeper Mignolet had to drag a furious Martinez away from the referees at the end of the game, but he sympathized with his opponents. He stated that his adversary would have been better off throwing the ball to Mings if he wanted him to take the goal kick.

“I’m always aware of it, and as a keeper, I always try to throw the ball to my defender when that happens,” Mignolet said after the game. “It’s one of those things where you don’t know how the referee would perceive these scenarios. It’s incredibly brutal, but I consider myself extremely fortunate to have been on the receiving end of it.” He continued, “I’ve seen that before, and I’m always afraid of it, so I try to throw the ball to my defender. You never know; if the ball is outside the six-yard box and a defender touches it, the goal kick is taken. I’m not sure how the rule is precisely decided.

Keepers are already aware of this; there is a reason we toss the ball. Sometimes when you hurry, you kick the ball to him out of habit, and it depends on how the referee interprets it.” Club Brugge manager Nicky Hayen noted the peculiarity of the situation, but believes the correct decision was ultimately made. “A nightmare for any coach, but a correct decision,” he told reporters.

It would have been quite bitter had it been the other way around. But it’s fantastic that we have some luck as well.”