Saturday 7 July 2018

2018 FIFA World Cup Match 59: Russia - Croatia (discussion)

Let's discuss here the performance of  Sandro Ricci in Russia - Croatia. Good luck to the officiating team! 
Match #59
Sochi, 7 July 2018 20:00 CET
Russia - Croatia
Referee: Sandro Ricci (BRA)
Assistant Referee 1: Emerson de Carvalho (BRA)
Assistant Referee 2: Marcelo van Gasse (BRA)
Fourth Official: Janny Sikazwe (ZAM)
Fifth Official: Jerson Dos Santos (ANG)
VAR: Massimiliano Irrati (ITA)
AVAR1: Wilton Sampaio (BRA)
AVAR 2: Roberto Díaz Pérez Del Palomar (ESP)
AVAR 3:  Paolo Valeri (ITA)

166 comments:

  1. Soham remember EURO16 and Clatenburg - Wels situation? Nothing is over my friend :)

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    1. Ummm, still I think unlikely... Other candidates are equally good too so they would deserve the chance too!

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  2. I think an important criteria in appointing referees for the next phase would be also the intervention or not of VAR.
    Referees who never needed VAR in the tournament will be appointed.

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  3. Soham:
    Also what is a "mandatory missed YC" for you isn't that to
    FIFA or UEFA... Remember you giving lots of lectures during Bayern v Real in UCL that many YCs were missed and blah blah and the very next assignment Kuipers got was EL final... So we can see how your so-called "mandatory missed YCs" were/are evaluated by Collina lol ;)

    I remember very well tens of your posts about Skomina will referee CL final... All the time you were writing against a man that was in the middle in that final!!! Until it became obvius who is going to take it. So, your comments were blah, blah, blah and nothing more. And stop giving us lectures here, please. You are becoming a true mascot of this blog.

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    1. I still rate Skomina more highly than Mazic any day... The Liverpool v Roma match went bad for Skomina and Mazic got lucky, as simple as that! Also seems like you are hurt that your assessment of Bayern v Real has been proved totally wrong ;)

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  4. Is there predictions for semi final appointments or its late since appointment will likely be released tomorrow

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    1. JUst wait the end of this evening game, we still don't know a team involved, and that's very important for predictions.

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  5. OK Chefren. Noted with thanks.

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  6. Dear gents, be patient and stop arguing under expectation like ref xxx is much worse than ref yyy. Those discussions have zero impact on reality. Thank you.

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    1. +1, every ref has their own style so by writing here you wont change anyone of them :)
      Also everyone of them made something which young referees like us want to achive that !

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    2. Me too. We just need to convince Soham to join us :)

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    3. I have never said any referee is inferior in terms of abilities... Of course I have my personal preferences and I rate some more highly than others... That will continue to be as it is! :)

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  7. I want to make a short, realistic analysis... ALL referees who worked during this World Cup are better than ALL OF US! So I would be happy if nobody will call one of these Top-Refs "bad"... There is a reason why they are in the middle of top clashes and we sit on our couch... only to have my thoughts in the back of our minds for further comments. 😐

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    1. Nobody has called any referee "bad" here, in general!

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    2. Performances have been labeled as "bad" or "poor" (Geiger, Irmatov). But that's not calling the referee himself "bad".

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  8. Ricci if will be well tonight can referee the final. As only europeans remains (boring), he takes force in this strange WC.

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    1. Ricci is really suited to UEFA v UEFA games and today's game must confirm that also!

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  9. I think it is a bit sad only 10 referees got to whistle R16/QF. I think it would have been fair to have 12 refs with one KO match each. And then you pick four great-perforering refs for the last four games. Jonas Eriksson said on Swedish TV that ’Kuipers is probably not happy to get a QF after having performed very well 3 times already, now his chances of getting the final has decreased”

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    1. I don't think that's the case... Any World Cup match is a honour and a referee is always proud of it!

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    2. Theoretically I agree. But just like refereeing on the pitch, it is not all black or white. For instance, I dont think Roldán was super happy with a dead game on MD3.
      I just quoted J Eriksson, is he right or wrong? Only Björn Kuipers knows :-)

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    3. A dead Egypt v Saudi Arabia match having no context and a Sweden v England match at the Quarter final level can be hardly compared you see!

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    4. I didnt compare those two games. It was Jonas Eriksson, not me, who had a rhory about Kuipers. Then I made a reflection on you saying ”any WC match is an honour”, I gave an example where a referee probably wasnt all happy.

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    5. Soham and the match England vs. Belgium in MD3 where England did anything possible to avoid scoring goal in 90+ minutes...

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    6. Belgium v England would still be something of much honour for Skomina... Only Egypt v Saudi Arabia and Panama v Tunisia maybe aren't that honourable!

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  10. First time in this tournament one ref is handling second match involving same country

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  11. 11’ those was sometimes YC

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    1. According to the letter of the LOTG that was a YC

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    2. Delaying the restart of play

      Failure to respect the required distance when play is restarted with a corner kick, throw-in or free kick

      Just to be sure. These things are still in The Laws of the Game for Football, right? Because after watching the World Cup, I am no longer sure how much is actually left of "Law 12: Fouls and Misconduct"

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    3. Law is one thing. Interpretation of the laws is something different.
      But, you can not give YC in first 15 minutes of QF WC match for delaying the restart somewhere at the center of the pitch (moreover for the home side). Especially when many dangerous tackles on the ankles at this WC were not sanctioned with YCs.

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    4. And that there is the danger of setting such a poor line of discipline throughout the tournament. A line of discipline that emboldens players to play more recklessly and carelessly. And leaves referee's looking bad.

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  12. 10' another delay of the restart and no card, just verbal warning.Laws of the game have been tweaked this world cup

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    1. And all the world is watching this

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    2. The game (at this point) needs a YC like it needs a hole in the head. Ricci is more than fine to control this with personality for now. Note that very, very few of the cards everyone is asking for are mandatory. These referees (and players) are very experienced. That and the tension and emotions are high. Constant YC's for everything you deem YC offences are not going to solve anything and will only frustrate everyone involved and may put the referee in a bind when he truly needs them.

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    3. FIFA sending the best and most positive message to the masses. But it's okay. As long as they display the "Fair PLay" before the matches. Anything and everything is allowed once the whistle blows. FIFA's motto should be, "Do as we say, not as we do"

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    4. So true, Wiels!

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    5. Ricci has to observe what Russia is trying to do and act accordingly.

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    6. Some comments on this blog have ZERO relevance to top level refereeing.

      Ricci managed this match well so far.

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    7. I must have missed the memo or the press conference. Where it was announced that the Russia 2018 World was going to be played using a separate and newly developed Laws of the Game. It would sure clear up a lot of confusion ;)

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    8. I did not say anything against Ricci , but at this WC some instructions are weird or at least very different

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    9. The LOTG are flexible and bendable -- as long as you get something out of it. You can bend it one way, leave it flat (as you constantly want) or bend it the other way.

      In 90% of my foul situations, 50% of YC situations, and even some of my RC situations, I have three choices:

      Choice 1: Control the game, team, or player with the lesser punishment and get something out of it: game flow, a "friend", or a "helper". It's called "negotiation" -- used in business and many other areas of life as well.

      Choice 2: Call it as I see it. I've had enough. You failed to work with me. This is my new line in the sand.

      Choice 3: Give the cheesy foul or YC (and very occasionally a RC). You're showing complete disrespect for me and this game. I'm going over the top because you failed to negotiate or work with any modicum of fair play and I will spite you for it.

      Some games go through all three phases (sometimes more than once).

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    10. So true. Human interaction is a result of our brains being half logical, half emotional. LOTG is only logic. If we were to interact with others in a zero-emotional way, applying LOTG 100% every second of every game, we would end up BEING right, but we would not GET IT right. Those are two different things.

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  13. What happened to Ricci's head at 1:30? Hit by a giant Russian insect? :)

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  14. Why Akinfeev is wearing Nike gloves while uniform is Adidas:)

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    Replies
    1. maybe Nike is his sponsor for gloves?

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    2. A goalkeeper has his own sponsor for shoes like other players and also for the gloves. The jersey isn’t his sponor it’s Russia’s

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  15. This WC is, as stated many times before, lenient toward cards... Please, don't be surprised anymore....

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  16. One of the most boring games in this WC so far...

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    1. ...with a beautiful goal scored by Russia :)

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    2. ...and a great equilazer scored shortly after... :D

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    3. WCReferee well big stakes are there...

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    4. I wrote that too early ;)

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  17. Correct YC in 35' but Lovren said "Fuck off to ref"

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    1. Every single player in English Premier League say Fuck off after being booked.

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    2. DrMr that doesn’t mean that it should be fine. That means that the PL refs have no respect or acceptance

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    3. Oh so players in the EPL do it all the time? They by all means, yeah totally acceptable to get cussed at, right? ;)

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    4. @Sheriff
      I said what players do, to show how often we can see such a dissent...not to concludr that it's acceptable.
      What's your problem Einstein?

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    5. ;) ;) ;) ;) ;) ;)

      For God sake...

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  18. Wrong YC in 35'. I think not even a foul.

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  19. Yellow card at minute 35.

    He yells ”F*ck off!” Two times. It’s very bad that FIFA and UEFA allows this. Obviously the refs are told to ignore it.

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    Replies
    1. Groan. You do this and you have a RC after 90% of YC's.

      Have any of you ever done more than amateur matches???

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    2. Not if the refs start giving red cards for it. Why don’t you see this in other sports? Because there is s clear line in how the refs must be respected and what happens if you don’t.

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    3. You sure do have a lot say. And you question everybody else's qualifications and level as referee's. Care share you resume? Or are you going to be like another blogger who shall remain nameless and refuse to disclose your info.

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    4. Victor,
      Dissent by word or action, simulation(diving), and the wrestling/holding/grappling that happens in each and every game on each and every set play and/or corner. All things that people to include FIFA complain about constantly. Yet they want to eradicate those things by not actually punishing them? How does that even begin to make sense. You want something to stop? You start calling it and punishing it. Simple enough, no?

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    5. I am one of the few who does not have to "hide" because I am currently just slightly below "protocol demands" level. In fact, even when I wasn't, I ignored protocol and often shared my knowledge and wisdom with the masses. I got away with that because those setting protocol gave me two responsibilities beyond my on-field work as a referee.

      Let's put it this way. I've worked with one of the current WC officials on the field and in the classroom, have regular communication with a current VAR, have worked with numerous National referees and assessors and am currently a referee, assessor, and instructor -- I have had all 3 titles for 10 years plus and just hit 50 years of age.

      Combine the on-field experience with ready Futuro III access and contacts. I'm not always 100% up-to-date, but usually pretty close. :)

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    6. Really Aldawg?? I sent a player off in an amateur match a week ago for saying fuck you after I'd just given him a yellow. And had the decision confirmed by region and state referee coaches.

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    7. If you ignore being told to ”f*ck off” you are a coward with no self respect. If tat’s because you have directives than those who gave you the directives are cowards.

      Aldawg you seem very arrogant and your attitude is no different than ”hey look at me I know more about refereeing than all of you”

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    8. Jackson: As you should. I'd do the same at that level. Also note that "Fuck you" is more personal than "Fuck off".

      Move up a bit higher and we are expected to be a bit more judicious -- business demands of the game (unfortunately) do have some impact on the overall picture.

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    9. Most if not all will always back you Jackson in those cases. I commend you for upholding The Laws of the Game and showing that referee's do not have to tolerate being verbally abused.

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    10. Victor: I have no idea if I understand more about the game than others or if I don't. Sherrif asked for my credentials. I gave some of them. If I came across as arrogant, I apologize. I'm only trying to explain why what you are seeing at this WC is not matching what you should normally and correctly do in a local match.

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    11. You don't even see this level of debauchery and disregard for the Laws in the UCL or any other top tier league. Busacca and Co have taken this to an all time low.

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    12. The WC is above and beyond any top tier league. It has the title WORLD Cup for very good reason. FIFA wants a spectacle, not just a game.

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    13. Aldawg can I just say from myself, and I'm sure on behalf of a silent majority on here, I really appreciate your rationalistic comments and analysis.

      Please stay :-)

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  20. Very good first half for refs.
    Congrats to Ricci.

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  21. What shoes does Ricci wear? This is the third time that he nearly falls.

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    1. Running shoes. No studs

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    2. He's wearing the Adidas Copa Mundial turf multi studded shoes. I was surprised to see him those. He typically wears the Adidas Copa Mundial molded cleats.

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    3. The same style as Kuipers? They look different with complete white surround. I like them!! Not too good when you fall though.

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  22. 70 min. FIRST foul - if it was one. I am not so sure - by Vida, CRO defender, in this whole tournament. Wow! That is a rolemodel!

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  23. Missed offside in 76' by AR1

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    Replies
    1. Yes. Luckily no consequence after corner kick.

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  24. Very good performance by Ricci

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  25. The final may fall onto his lap if Kuipers is left out b/c of the Belgian/Netherlands issue, and Faghani can't be involved b/c of internacional politics.

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    1. International politics? Why? USA are not qualified abd the Saudis are out. So what?

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    2. Iran is doing big investments in Quatar2022. Faghani is future material...

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  26. What impresses me about Ricci, is his coolness (like Rizzoli) and his anticipation!

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    Replies
    1. and he looks good, too 😉

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    2. His girlfriend / wife is also referee, you can google it :)

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  27. Well, if Ricci will manage this thirty minutes, the final game will be between him and Faghani. I don't think that Cakir will get direct final or that somebody will get his 5th match.

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    1. This comment has been removed by the author.

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    2. Not so sure. There is Collina. Expect the unexpected.

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    3. @Ugur B no, Ricci is now officiating his third game, differently from Pitana and Kuipers who got already 4.

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    4. Ugur, Ricci had Croatia-Nigeria and Denmark-France, this is his third match...

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    5. Sorry my mistake. I remembered wrong.

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    6. Thinking well, never Collina or Busacca will assign a CONMEBOL referee for the final. They are very regionalists

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    7. @ Andrasch Neunert: Well, I am from the Czech Republic, people there think that we should expect unexpected by Collina :-D

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    8. @Premysl: Anything special I have not noticed? At least the personal development of Lubos Michel was surprising :-)
      Or are you thinking of Kralovec not being in Russia? I would have liked him to be there...

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    9. Some people there don't like Pierluigi Collina because Czech National Team lost some games with Collina as a referee and Collina had some controversial (non)penalty decisions (Euro 2000 and 2004).
      About Královec: I am curious if he will be in Qatar 2022...

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  28. Ricci is very good referee with an excellent mark in this WC so far.

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  29. 100': no penalty, correct decision.

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  30. Ricci has some strange positionig on corner kick

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  31. There are a now number of quality candidates (the "list" changes each game and we can't forget some of the Round of 16 officials). Will come down to more than just referee. They come with a team. Both Kuipers and Ricci had AR's make errors -- minor ones, but they are noticed.

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    Replies
    1. Which means we have some very good refereeing on this WC!

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    2. Yes indeed. No major mistake that interfered with resulta. Compare it with other editions w/o technology and you have Larrionda, etc

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  32. Intelligent push from Veda in back RUS defender. Just enough to get in perfect position for the header...
    Rocco didn't see it.
    But VAR?

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    Replies
    1. Normal. No need for intervention.

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    2. Slight push, remember that the replay make everything bigger and stronger.
      Remember Switzerland-Brasil?

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    3. Football is game of contact, this is not ballet, sorry

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    4. Contact is not a deliberate push.

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    5. It is. And intensity of the contact is imoprtant

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  33. 114' clear deliberate handball, in this case.
    There was a movement toward the ball, this must be shown as clear example of "deliberate", excellent Ricci.

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  34. To be honest, Ricci at least must be added to the list of candidates for the final. He has performed very well in all his game, now this crucial decision. Never helped by VAR.
    Committee has for sure a big choice there.
    They will be content.

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    Replies
    1. Well, for me is Sandro Ricci number one for the final match.

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    2. He was always on that list...

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  35. Replies
    1. Either injured or cramping.

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    2. In 119' he slowed down after counter-attack, clearly limping.
      Probably spasm

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  36. Best qf referee,,if collina thinking a name among the qf referees,,he will be Ricci surely

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  37. I fear, with an all-European final in Europe after two Europeans having handled the previous both finals, chances for UEFA referees are low, irrespective of their performances.

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    Replies
    1. But you must admit his match wasn't that difficult to handle.
      Of course very good big picture, probably the best one

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    2. I think every game is so difficult how the referee permits... I think Ricci has some special aura which makes his matches bearable...

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  38. Good work by Ricci, kept the match under control. Easy fouls here and there and good strategic decisions.

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  39. CRO goalkeeper AGAIN off the line before shot. What are they looking at?

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    Replies
    1. Pitana first and now Ricci. Why do they have a talk with goalkeepers before the shoots when they don't do anything afterwards?

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    2. Prevent but don’t whistle is FIFA’s motto

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    3. Footfault in tennis...

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  40. Sandro Ricci is vastly underrated in Brazil because he is perceived as too cold and aloof. Observers here seem to prefer loudnesss, histrionics, big gestures and shouting matches.

    After this game I finally get Ricci. He is the real deal! A very fine FIFA referee, if not ideally suíted for CONMEBOL tournaments. Parabéns, Sandro! Well done!

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    Replies
    1. In my country there is dictum:
      'It's hardest to be priest in your own village'.

      Which means it's hardest to be recognized, to succed in your own neighborhood/city/country

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    2. What a wonderful saying, so true. I will use it in my language from now on :-)

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    3. @ ref observer: Ricci is 44 now. Who will be the next "number one from Brasil"? And is his style more "brasilian classic"? Sampaio?

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    4. 2 candidates emerge:

      Anderson Daronco and Raphael Claus.

      Both are FIFA already but need top level international experience. Domestically they are already at the top. Their style is is definitely more physical (e.g. Pitana) than Ricci.

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    5. @ Andrash Neunert: For the next WC probably will be Raphael Klaus, other good brazilian referee. He's more english style like Webb

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  41. After quaterfinal we can conclude favourites for final match:
    1. Nestor Pitana
    2. Sandro Ricci
    3.Milorad Mazic
    4. Malang Deidhou

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    Replies
    1. 1. Faghani
      2. Ricci
      3. Kuipers
      4. Pitana

      I don't expect Mazic and Diedhiou

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    2. O_o
      Maybe YOU can conclude.
      Other should conclude:

      1. Faghani
      2. Pitana
      3. Kuipers
      4. Ricci

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    3. Pitana already refered the opening match in this tournement. I think so hard to give to him the final. For age and politics questions I'm sure that will be Cuneyt Cakir.

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    4. A very good argument for Ricci in final is the fact that he has only three matches, Kuipers and Pitana have already four.

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  42. I would like to see Sandro Ricci in Uefa Champions League.
    Send him wild card!

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    Replies
    1. :) Good to hear that.

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    2. Since UEFA lost some big names, and will lose several more in next year or two (Kuipers, Mazic, Rocchi, and maybe some of them or others will go to China, Qatar or who knows where and make big money there) - UEFA could need to import some big names from South America or elsewhere. In two years from now UEFA wont have 10 real big names for last 10 the most important matches in CL and EL (8 semifinals and 2 finals). But Ricchi is also "old".

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  43. IMO Ricci perfect even here!
    He stopped Subasic 4 times when he wanted to go to the PKpoint like he did before 1st PK to disturb the russian player. May be a YC would have been possible here. But the early movements of Subasic are sort of usual. Not really correct but most refs allow that.

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  44. Rock solid performance. Especially a fan of the spotted handball + YC that led to the 2-2.

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  45. OT
    Marwa Range has been banned for life.. really sad end to a very good assistant referee

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  46. Somebody was reporting about a potential injury to Ricci... What is that about? :o Surely it can't be something big as otherwise he would leave the field! I hope he is all fine!

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    1. Look again the last action in match. He just stopped at once and limped.

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    2. Maybe he just cramped up after 120+ minutes of strenuous activity. It happens to the players so why not to the referee?

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    3. Was it hot and humid in Sochi?? Cramps are quite common in such weather... Hopefully nothing serious!

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  47. Very good performance. Definetly a candidate for the final if we take into account his age, his overall performance in this tournament, the fact that the last two final refs were from uefa.

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  48. Fifa Worldcup final won by France with the 4-2 score against Croatia in all important Fifa world cup 2018 Russia Final. Croatia played extremely well throughout the tournament but they remain unable to win final, this was the first time by when Croatia went into Final of Fifa Worldcup.

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