Villa manager Emery did not blame the referee for the decision, despite being involved in a lengthy discussion with officials during the match.

He said: “We played a good first half. The second half the mistake changed everything. The key was the mistake we made.

“His mistake is completely strange. It’s only happened one time in all my life.”

Villa defender Ezri Konsa, added: “It is part of football. Our first loss in the Champions League and we have to move on, we can’t be too down about it.

“I didn’t see it, I just saw the players running to the referee saying handball.

“It kills the game. If it is a handball, a deliberate one, why not give give him a second yellow? It is a mistake but we have to learn from it.”

Former Villa defender Stephen Warnock said on BBC Sport: “Arsenal got away with doing the same thing against Bayern Munich in the Champions League last season – maybe this time the referee has seen that the Brugge players are closing Mings down?

“I don’t think Tyrone Mings has looked at Emi Martinez at all when he took the goal-kick, which is why he thinks he can pick it up because he does not know it has been taken.”

Sutton, speaking on BBC Radio 5 live, said: “That’s ridiculous. It is crazy from Mings, absolutely crazy.

“What is he thinking? It’s a brain freeze from Mings. Tyrone Mings might have done it when he was three.”

Crouch added on TNT: “It was very, very bizarre.

“Even if you don’t think it is live, you don’t put your hand on it. It is a moment of madness. The moment he did it, we all shouted that was a penalty.”