FIFA Seminars for Elite referees - February / March / April 2020 (UPDATED WITH CONCACAF AND CONMEBOL)

FIFA has planned some seminars for Elite referees, to be held on next weeks. 

Europa League 2019/20 - Round of 32 - Referee Appointments (II)

UEFA Referees Committee has chosen the following officials to handle the second leg games to be played for Round of 32 of 2019/20 Europa League.

Champions League 2019/20 - Referee Appointments - Round of 16 (First Leg, IV)

The last set of referee appointments for 2019-20 UEFA Champions League Round of 16 - First legs. 

Champions League 2019/20 - Referee Appointments - Round of 16 (First Leg, III)

Third set of referee appointments for 2019-20 UEFA Champions League Round of 16 - First legs. 

Jesús Gil Manzano, Daniele Orsato, and big associations lobby in Nyon

Reading the appointment of Daniele Orsato for Real Madrid - Manchester City was essentially cursory. Reading the appointment of Jesús Gil Manzano for Olympique Lyonnais - Juventus, I checked twice to see if I were mis-reading it! Congratulations to both on great appointments, first of all.

Those two names beside each other for Wednesday's games give us a nice chance for reflection. What can we read into Gil Manzano's appointment, how Orsato's story that is four years older will have a happy ending, and the bigger picture - how much is the power of big associations lobby in Nyon a threat to meritocracy in UEFA refereeing?

Daniele Orsato during the PSV Eindhoven - Atlético de Madrid game
Italian's appointment in 2016 was viewed as surprising or unexpected

What is Clear and Obvious, Mr. Rosetti?

Perhaps the view that crucial mistakes and decisions that were correctly supported by VAR should be mutually exclusive is, perhaps, a bit quixotic, but UEFA's direction regarding evaluation of Violent Conducts and Serious Foul Play has worried us this season.

Last night, in Bruges, we reached a new nadir.

Europa League 2019/20 - Round of 32 - Referee Appointments (I)

UEFA Referees Committee has chosen the following officials to handle the first leg games to be played for Round of 32 of 2019/20 Europa League.

Champions League 2019/20 - Referee Appointments - Round of 16 (First Leg, II)

Referee appointments for Wednesday's games of 2019-20 UEFA Champions League Round of 16, First Legs. 

Champions League 2019/20 - Referee Appointments - Round of 16 (First Leg, I)

The first set of referee appointments for 2019-20 UEFA Champions League Round of 16 - First legs. Mateu Lahoz (ESP) and Marciniak (POL) in charge. 

Collina turns 60: happy birthday and a nice interview

Today 13 February 2020 Pierluigi Collina turns 60. When you say "referee", very often he is the first person coming to your mind.  With a special wish for his birthday, Law 5 Blog has translated a very interesting and long interview released by La Gazzetta dello Sport. 

After a glorious career on the pitch with many honors, now Collina is working behind the scenes as head of refereeing.

UEFA Youth League - Referee appointments for Play-Off Round

Referees in charge of 2019/20 UEFA Youth League Play-Offs.