Monday, 28 June 2021

UEFA EURO 2020 Match 43: France - Switzerland (discussion)

Third game for the referee from CONMEBOL, Fernando Rapallini, about to officiate France - Switzerland in the Round of 16 of EURO 2020. We discuss here his performance. 


Round of 16
Bucharest, 28 June 2021 21:00 CET
FRANCE - SWITZERLAND
Referee: Fernando Andrés Rapallini (ARG)
Assistant Referee 1: Juan Pablo Belatti (ARG)
Assistant Referee 2: Diego Yamil Bonfá (ARG)
Fourth Official: Bartosz Frankowski (POL)
Fifth Official: Marcin Boniek (POL)
Video Assistant Referee: Juan Martínez Munuera (ESP)
Assistant Video Assistant Referee 1: Alejandro Hernández Hernández (ESP)
Assistant Video Assistant Referee 2: Íñigo Prieto López de Ceraín (ESP)
Assistant Video Assistant Referee 3: Massimiliano Irrati (ITA)
UEFA Referee Observer: Kyros Vassaras (GRE)
UEFA Delegate: Rotem Kamer (ISR)

162 comments:

  1. I honestly hope that this Argentine referee does not kill this game.
    From what I've read, he has been good in his 2 previous games in this Euros.

    And so I wish him a great match.

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    Replies
    1. He’s a very good ref. His previous game was quite good.

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    2. That's what I heard too. I hope he continues to be good today.

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  2. I wish him and his team good game. Today started very good for referees, i hope it continues.

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  3. After Cakir performance, i wish Rapallini shows same performance.
    Good luck

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  4. Very tight, but in my view correct offside call.

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    Replies
    1. IMO it was wrong flag but i agree very tight.

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  5. I think that push before the goal could have been whistled, but definitely no VAR stuff

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    Replies
    1. I disagree, that’s really too soft to call. IMO it’s just bad defensive work by Rabiot.

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    2. I disagree either. Even Rabiot was not expecting a foul there.

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    3. Of course, Lenglet! I also was mistaken :)

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  6. No handball. It hits the belly. Wrong decision. Fortunately it didn't impact the score.

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  7. Replays showed ref could not have seen it anyway, was a guess

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    Replies
    1. Yup, he wasn't looking at all

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    2. He definitely didn’t see. It was a bad call.

      https://ibb.co/j51Wsc4

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    3. Definitely didn't end up mattering.

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  8. Correct YC min.30 (Varane)

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  9. When I got my referee course. The teachers told me that is not good to have your whistle in your mouth when showing a card ;-)

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    Replies
    1. That's something I recognised in Cakir's match today. I think he had his whistle in his mouth many times.

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    2. Does it make the card mean any less?

      It comes down to personal choice and style. Much like how and where you choose to carry your cards.

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    3. Doesn't make any sense. Referees without lanyards often have it in their mouth since it's practical and easier and leaves the other hand free.

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    4. It makes sense if someone punches you, with the whistle in your mouth you'll get more damage. That's what they taught me (Southern European problems I guess...)

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    5. That's another matter of choice, style and preference. How a referee decides to carry his whistle. Me personally, I go for the minimalistic approach and only carry the whistle by itself.

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    6. Just don't be within arms distance of the offender as you're showing him/her the card.

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  10. Correct YC and advantage now min.32

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  11. 33' Missed YC. Quite blatant. I'm not convinced by Rapallini today.

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    Replies
    1. For me not a mandatory YC in the context of this tournament, in line with other decisions.
      I strongly disagree about your overall asessment though. IMHO a fully convincing performance so far with only the handball FK to SWI being debatable. Delayed YC after the reckless tackle very good.

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  12. (Very) clear YC missed for Pogba. Otherwise no issues for Rappalini

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    1. That is a serious mistake. It is not a "casual" YC. It is one of those that are absolutely mandatory. No room for interpretation here.

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    2. How many times happens on this championship who is I always said best officiated ever, that for such things there was no YC, and nobody complain. Great Rappalini. At least, better than Kuipers.

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  13. I like his card management so far. One mandatory on both sides.

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  14. Replies
    1. Diagree. No ellbow and more collision than reckless foul.

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    2. Disagreed, Rabiot headed the ball and after that hit Embolo (who challenged for the ball as well) in an unfortunate way

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  15. Which la liga referee went to copa America?

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    Replies
    1. Gil Manzano

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    2. Has he had a copa America game yet?

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    3. Two.
      First game went well. Second, not so much.

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    4. 1st Match: Chile vs Bolivia
      2nd Match: Ecuador vs Peru

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  16. Rapallini is doing very well. Not as challenging as Cakir's and Brych's matches but I like his approach. German commentator also said it was a good performance by Rapallini.

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    Replies
    1. What's the need to compare? What's done is done. Focus on the task at hand.

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  17. Excellent Rappallini. Hope he will continiue like this. Surprises are always possible....

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  18. Except the “guess” handball he did good in 1H. He was lucky that France didn’t make a goal from that freekick. Good luck for second half.

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  19. This is the first time that I am watching Rapallini, and so far, I have been very very impressed.

    He has a tremendous presence, and the players seem to respect him so well. With the score 1-0 to the Swiss, I am expecting a more challenging 2nd half for the Argentine referee.

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  20. Very well Rapallini, a great referee

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  21. Correct OFR and penalty for SUI.

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  22. Aii very clear penalty missed with VAR intervention. IMO this one Rapallini should have seen himself

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    Replies
    1. Indeed, good procedure, but this one was not that difficult to catch

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  23. Well done VAR, well done Rapallini

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  24. Here we go, he gave correct advantage, but Var calls him. Ok, good penalty call. Rappalini and his Team continiue to do very good job.

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  25. Loved how Rapallini gave the penalty after the var check 😄

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  26. Wow, good VAR intervention, but actually unbelieveable Rapallini missed this in real time. Such a very clear foul, he had clear view. Real mistake imo.

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  27. Really poor refereeing there. A clear penalty with good viewing angle. Then breaks VAR protocol. Has looked nervous all night.

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  28. Very good and fast VAR intervention. I am sad for Rapallini but how can he miss this incident?

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  29. Very clear penalty now, excellent work by VAR.
    I must say difficult for Rapallini to detect whether inside or outside, but clear foul. No ball at all.
    The criteria for VAR intervention at this tournament are in my opinino absolutely clear, but it is of course easier to intervene for a missed penalty, than to do that for correcting a wrong one.

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    1. Absolutely agree, that's what I talking about.

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    2. How iş it difficult to detect? Itwas infront of hım and he had clear view.

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  30. Good decision by Rapallini, he probablty wasn't sure so he left the game flow before reviewing it.

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    1. And that's something Rosetti would never like, relying on VAR.
      Referee must decide before!

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    2. We obviously don't know what Rapallini thought but if he really wasn't sure, i definitely agree with his decision.

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  31. Look, how much times somebody need to explain. Better if it is not clear, like this , becouse player stand up fast, better wait until Var. Rappalini doing great job.

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  32. I like Rapallini, but big mistake to not award penalty.
    It was very obvious, maybe fact that player got up so quickly confused him.

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  33. Correct PK call after OFR, surely he should have spotted it at the time and waited until the play had stopped before going to the screen tho?

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  34. Great VAR procedure but come on guys, this was a terrible decision on field. Unfortunately, because I think he is very good this tournament.

    "he probablty wasn't sure so he left the game flow before reviewing it" This are not instructions for referees, so that cannot be an excuse.

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    Replies
    1. He most likely thought it was outside and the player didn't even ask for anything until the play ended. So he gave a stressful advantage without showing the advantage sign. Or he just completely didn't see the foul.

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  35. The foul was a very clear one, but I’m not convinced the initial contact was inside the box. Probably VAR checked that with other angles, but those weren’t shown to the referee nor to the public. Quite comparable to the 4th penalty incident (in the dying stages) of POR-FRA game.

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    Replies
    1. We don't want an opinion from somebody who thinks that it is important where the foul has started.

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    2. OK Mr Arrogant, according to you what is important when assessing whether it’s inside or outside?

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    3. It doesn't matter where it started, if it carries on into the box? That's basic?

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    4. I am Mr Arrogant. Maybe you have missed the last 10 years of football but it is important where the contact ENDS not where it has started.

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    5. Where the foul ends is only important in case of holding, otherwise it should be the initial contact

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    6. Damn, it’s just a normal and polite question, what an agression here…
      Two questions:
      Can I find this basic rule somewhere in the laws?
      Why wasn’t a penalty awarded by Mateu in the POR-FRA game, where the foul also continued until in the box?

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    7. Because the initial point of contact in por-fra was outside and here VAR apparantly had proof the initial contact was inside. Regarding Por-fra Dutch Fifa referee Allard Lindhout explained this very well on Dutch tv.

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    8. Then Mr Arrogant, again an arrogant response and this time you even completely mistaken! As Anonymous 22:37 says, what you state is only valid (and explicitly mentioned in the LOTG) for holding offences.

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    9. Thank you Anonymous 22:43, that’s what I guessed as well. I was only wondering because we weren’t provided with those angles.

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  36. If he whistled for foul and freekick and with VAR intervention if he changed his decision with penalty i would be definitely okay because it’s hard to see the incident inside/outside. But with no decision it’s unacceptwble.

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  37. Yes, and when Kuipers from free kick to penalty change becouse of Var, all of you said, oh, good intervention of Var. Guys, Rappallini did great job, and unfortunately for Kuipers fan club, better than him...

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    1. That was not inside/outside decision. It was wrong side foul. Apple and pear situation.

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    2. I see you have quite an obsession with Kuipers. In every topic you start a comparison with him. Please focus on this match, maybe there is still hope that you can add something to this forum.


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    3. Why do we have to bring Kuipers in everytime. Lets talk about Rapallini. Fact is Rappalini should have seen at least the FK himself. And he didnt. Which is unfortunate since he has been very good this tournament. Tonight he has a "so so " game IMO

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    4. Hard to compare those two situaties, but if you really want to. Rapallini had a clear line of sight, Kuipers didn't.

      Apart from that, I don't like all these comments about a so called Kuipers fanclub. By that, you keep disqualifying all these comments. It's ok to disagree, but please use some arguments.

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    5. Because it is called a sense of justice. When people feel that somebody is undeservely praised or tolerated they develop a bad feeling towards him. The more tolerance he receives the bigger hatred towards him. Simple as that.

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    6. And how childish that is….

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  38. If he had given advantage for the foul, because he thought that it was outside and only a free kick, this couldn't have been corrected to a penalty, right?

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    Replies
    1. But the incident is inside and it’s a clear and obvious error. IMO it could.

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    2. I have a different idea, because if inside the box, referee maybe wouldn't have given advantage, a different situation for sure. However, it is an interesting point for discussion, if I'm not wrong, VAR protocol doesn't illustrate at all a similar case (advantage given for a foul outside the box to be corrected by VAR inside). I also don't know how much VAR can go deep in their work by making such assessments from the room... it is realistic to think that they call referee in all cases if they spot it is inside.

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    3. Maybe indeed a grey area in the VAR protocol.
      But if someone knows that for sure, please tell us.

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    4. Well I think that actually, he does not clear see is it in or out of the box. Player stands up immidialtey, so he take advantage. On the other side he does not call correct no penalty, after that brilliant Var, and brilliant Rappalini.

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    5. At Chefren and Philipp

      Why do you think it's a grey area? It is just a foul which the referee wrongly evaluated as outside. IMO the addvantage is completely irrelevant. So VAR completely has the right to intervene.

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    6. Disclaimer: This is only theoretical, not about the actual scene from today.

      We think, that it is a grey are, because the VAR can change a free kick to a penalty. But there isn't actually a free kick to be changed.
      And the VAR can intervene if the referee clearly misses a foul. But the referee actually didn't miss the foul.

      Furthermore: Assume that the advantage was much bigger in that same situation (referee thinks it was only a FK), i.e. even a clear goal scoring situation. Would it still be right, that the team gets a penalty by VAR, so that they have two chances to score?

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    7. Philipp, of course I perfectly understand what you mean but I still think that the existance or nonexistance of the advantage play is absolutely irrelevent no matter how 'long' it is. Also I don't agree that an advantage play is not a free kick because an advantage play is given only when there is a free kick. Ha-ha-ha... While writing this I understand that it sounds a bit abstract but I always try to understand why a certain rule is written. And guided by that I asume that the rules are written always against the offending side. So for me there is no problem that the side that committed the offence is faced against a double chance to receive a goal. In situations like this when we don't have a clearly written rule IMO we must follow the football logic and I really don't find this as a grey area. Good to have a constructive dialogue.

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  39. Did the AR forget where the touchline was there

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  40. 3 games 2 OFR
    2 penalties he should’ve seen live IMO

    think this will be end of tournament

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  41. Good advantage played

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  42. Unrelated post but no way is Del Cerro Grande 45 & older that Mateu Lahoz (44), No way. I thought Del Cerro was like 30 or something lol.

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  43. OT:
    How exciting have todays matches been?!?!?

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    1. And this one definetley more challenging than first.

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    2. Ref Fot, now you really start to express nonsense….

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    3. And despite all, referees have not been in the centre of attention, rather the opposite. Well done team Cakir and well done team Rapallini. Best of luck for the ET.

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    4. Yes more chchallenging so Rapallini goes to Wembley :))

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    5. Ref fot compare matches now,,yes cakir's match was soo easy...

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    6. As I said before, "why the need to compare?"
      What is done is done. Leave the past in the past.
      Lets focus on the present and the task at hand.

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  44. Former FIFA referee Kenn Hansen showing his appreciation for Cakir in today's earlier match: https://twitter.com/HansenKenn/status/1409612653853560832

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  45. I would like to recommend blog admins to turn off anonymous comments because nonsense of some commentators is unbelieveble. Also some commentators with accounts are provocators and I think that you should think about this problem. Thank you.

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    1. It's better to have 50 constructive and realistic opinions/comments than 200 nonsenses. Sorry for interupting match article with this comment!

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    2. -1. As long as it's not threats or bullying it brings people to this blog and creates discussion.

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  46. Yes, Rapallini could and should have seen the penalty in real speed but same counts for Kuipers. Apart from that we see an excellent match and a referee who is great today.

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    1. Have we actually had a topic where Kuipers wasn’t mentioned? Some people really are obsessed...

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    2. To be honest, it is very hard ti expect for Rapallini new match after this. He also knows that very well, so for him it's most important that decisions are correct, even after OFR

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    3. Agreed, superstar0110. It is his last game, maybe he will get an appointment as FO in another big match. However, he left a very good impression.

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  47. Wasn't that a mandatory YC? That tackle was quite reckless, enough for a sending off from the first few replays I saw...

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    Replies
    1. I agree that it was reckless, YC for me. I think there is some subjectivity though because the opponent kicks through after Xhaka won the Ballard that’s what caused the contact.

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  48. What about the possible penalty for Switzerland which was checked? I only saw one replay but there was some holding for sure.

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    Replies
    1. German commentators say it could have been a penalty but there were no replays (Manuel Gräfe, their referee expert, is checking everything in the background). Maybe some or even intense holding but there were no protests, nobody would expect a VAR intervention. Wise to play on, however I can imagine it was "not nothing".

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  49. Good job by Rapallini again, no doubt. I hope to see him again several times during WC 2022!

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  50. Like Cakir, Rappilini has been amazing today, he could be a candidate for the final at this rate!

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  51. Not sure about the very last free kick to Switzerland, I think nobody expected that whistle! And... in case of foul, no card?

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  52. IMO good job by Rapallini. Probably his last match in this Euro, but he can be very proud.Excellent tornament for him and his team

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  53. Very good game for Rapallini congrats.

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  54. Only thing I don't like about Rapallini is that he does not speak English

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    Replies
    1. I'm sure he speaks English. He doesn't speak Spanish with French players.

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    2. You can hear his talk on TV with captains before extra time and penalties. He is speaking Spanish with them.

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    3. No, he spoke english: he said to be careful to goalkeepers, it's not like Nestor... Coca Cola :)

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    4. @ref paul- I heard coin toss. It was Spanish. He said rojo for red colour on coin

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    5. You could clerly hear him speaking english at coin toss...

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    6. He said "logo":)

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    7. I understood "logo" there. And he also said something with "side" and "all the best". So I think, he speaks at least a bit of English. I also don't think, the players would accept it well, if his verbal warnings etc. were only done in Spanish.

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    8. Not "rojo" but "logo", i'm pretty shure.

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    9. Yeah, I watched it again, my mistake. Sorry guys!!

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  55. What amazing day on EURO today. Two great matches, two great referee performances. Once again, Cakir's performance today was perfect, best performance of the tournament so far and best Cakir's performance in last years.

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    Replies
    1. I share your POV. I was so happy to see again Cakir perform so high level. I do not try to compare but i just enjoy to watch so many different top level refs. Some may perform well on a game (human and not robot) but i keep deep admiration to them. If they reach and keep this level so long lasting period (Kuipers, Brych) it means something. I was so happy to discover F. Rappanelli with a different by efficient style.

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  56. SUI-ESP is probably easier to appoint than FRA-ESP. One could have some doubts, whether e.g. Hategan or Oliver would be ready for the two big names, but SUI-ESP sounds quite realistic for them IMO.

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    Replies
    1. Sweden/Ukraine vs England/Germany is something like that

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  57. Amazing performance from Rappallini tonight. Hardest match for officiating at this Euro. With this kind of performance he reserved himself Wembley. Semifinal or Final as main referee, we will see next days.

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  58. Another very fast check on the miased penalty. VAR worked really good today.

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  59. Just imagine they have to repeat the last penalty in the final, because the keeper didn't touch the line. Don't think this rule is very practical

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  60. A really top class performance from Rappallini and his team tonight , does it just put it into the back of the committee's mind that maybe he does deserve another game , I would be delighted to see that but I'm not very confident on that.

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  61. Rappalini should be extremely pleased with his performances through his Euro Campaign.
    Think he will be retained as 4th Official in the remaining games if I'm honest.

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  62. OT: I have to say that the round of 16 games have been much more entertaining to watch then the group stages.

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  63. there has been speculation about which referees have been "sent home"; but could it be that we have a special case with Ekberg; he was FO in CRO-ESP, but in Copenhagen 1/2 hour from his home in Malmo Sweden!!! is it really possible that he was kept in Istanbul since his previous game on June 20 (also in Copenhagen!), or was he at home in Sweden while still officially in EURO for the match today??

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    Replies
    1. At Euro 2016, Marciniak was kept as FO only when other refs were sent home. Maybe the same happens with Ekberg now?

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    2. It cannot be just a coincidence that Mateu, Turpin, Dias, Grenfeeld and Kovacs got no referee/FO appointments in R16. If they were not sent home, at least 1-2 of them would have been involved in R16 in some capacity.

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    3. Orel Grinfeeld has returned home. he is also attending the Olympics

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    4. I really doubt that he was sent home and then appointed to a match in Copenhagen. It could be against the covid regulations.
      He probably stayed with other refs all that time.

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  64. HIGHLIGHTS

    https://we.tl/t-ngf2kb9n2C

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