To complete the Round of 16, here the referees in charge of the last two games of this stage.
15 March 2023
SSC Napoli (ITA) - Eintracht Frankfurt (GER)
Referee: Anthony Taylor (ENG)
Assistant Referee 1: Gary Beswick (ENG)
Assistant Referee 2: Lee Betts (ENG)
Fourth Official: Robert Jones (ENG)
Video Assistant Referee: Pol van Boekel (NED)
Assistant Video Assistant Referee: Jeroen Manschot (NED)
UEFA Referee Observer: Lucilio Batista (POR)
UEFA Delegate: Per Eliasson (SWE)
21:00 CET - Madrid (Estadio Santiago Bernabéu)
Real Madrid CF (ESP) - Liverpool FC (ENG)
Referee: Felix Zwayer (GER)
Assistant Referee 1: Stefan Lupp (GER)
Assistant Referee 2: Marco Achmüller (GER)
Fourth Official: Sven Jablonski (GER)
Video Assistant Referee: Marco Fritz (GER)
Assistant Video Assistant Referee: Christian Dingert (GER)
UEFA Referee Observer: Costas Kapitanis (CYP)
UEFA Delegate: Alexander Miescher (SUI)
Real Madrid CF (ESP) - Liverpool FC (ENG)
Referee: Felix Zwayer (GER)
Assistant Referee 1: Stefan Lupp (GER)
Assistant Referee 2: Marco Achmüller (GER)
Fourth Official: Sven Jablonski (GER)
Video Assistant Referee: Marco Fritz (GER)
Assistant Video Assistant Referee: Christian Dingert (GER)
UEFA Referee Observer: Costas Kapitanis (CYP)
UEFA Delegate: Alexander Miescher (SUI)
All as it was expected, with a particular note for Taylor's VAR, Van Boekel. Still no trust for English VARs, I would say in this game it was possible to see either Attwell or Kavanagh, because not a real big match, but nothing to do for them.
ReplyDeleteYes, I agree.
DeleteOverall, only 9 different VARs (from 6 different countries) have been used in CL R16 - not many seem to have full trust by UEFA at the moment.
Does this also means that UEFA supports the VAR intervention by van Boekel in last weeks match Chelsea vs dortmund ?
DeleteI think committee must have assessed it as correct including the retake of the penalty, otherwise we wouldn't have seen van Boekel again. I say that because the penalty was 100% crucial for qualification, so the argument is very strong.
DeleteNevertheless, I hope that sometihng will change about the infringments on penalties and VAR interventions, it doesn't look like a good management at moment.
Was Felix Zwayer expected? I remember the last time we had a not particularly experienced German referee in the second leg of a tie between two big sides that we thought was done and dusted.
DeleteCan be a tricky one for Zwayer, Real is known for making every game interesting, Liverpool only needs to have 2 goal in this match to get things complicated.
ReplyDeleteI dont knoe how wise was to apoint him for this match, maybe some better elite was neccesary for this match.
Hopefully I'm wrong.
Agree…
Delete+1
DeleteWith 4 Spanish Elite referees not appointed last week or this week, we can expect many of them in the EL 2nd legs on Thursday, I think.
ReplyDeleteTaylor with Lee Betts instead of Adam Nunn
ReplyDeleteIs he injured or something?
DeleteDon't think he's injured even though he only worked as AVAR this weekend. He worked with Madley in Liverpool-Manchester United last weekend while Betts has worked with Taylor for two games straight in the PL
DeleteHe's back this weekend as usual alongside Beswick but this time assisting Michael Sailsbury
DeleteTaylor with easy match imo, both teams are easy to ref, they play fairly and result is fully in favour of Napoli.
ReplyDeleteMaybe with this Taylor is candidate for Final? Other than Marciniak...
From last season onward, I think UEFA has him as a low percentage candidate for the final. Obviously it keeps hurting him that English sides have been doing so well that he is generally ineligible for the semifinals and the final. This season, I think Makkelie is favorite, Marciniak 2nd choice, and third choice between Vincic and Taylor.
DeleteMakkiele for ucl final this season he deserved it last year but Turpin refereed the final as the final was in Paris which the home team of psg which had problem in match in round 16 with makkiele against real Madrid
DeleteVery good for Zwayer mit a big game in Bernabeu !
ReplyDeleteIt is necessary to recognize that Zwayer benefits from a benevolence on behalf of the committee and a right to forget that many other referees would dream to have...
ReplyDeleteLet Taylor be a dude and let him whistle like he did yesterday. He would not whistle the Champions League again. I would immediately remove him from the elite group. He does not know how to whistle the domestic league and not even UEFA matches.
ReplyDeleteBut Taylor wasn't too bad yesterday, correct red card after var intervention, I think u are just a man u because things never went your way,,u can't say anything about attwell who counted an offside goal against city
DeleteU aren't a good obsever
ReplyDeleteWhat Chefren/Mikael do you view as the current state of FIFA referees from England? Taylor and Oliver now seen relatively equally with Taylor maybe a little ahead even after Oliver appointments at EURO and WC above Taylor? Both maybe outside candidates for CL and ECL final this season? Beyond the elite, Pawson I think it would be fair to see is viewed as a very solid first group referee but not further? And after that the standard seems really to drop off....
ReplyDeleteInded what you say is my opinion as well: Oliver and Taylor quite at similar level, then Pawson, but veeery distant from them! After Pawson? Definitely nobody. That's worrying. Among all the recent choices, the management of Kavanagh has been the confirmation of that. OK, at a certain point he was injured. Bue before, he never showed to be a reliable name to committee. Now it seems there is nobody: we must add as strong argument a very careful attitude by committee, I would dare to say, after watching the other referees, how they use VAR in PL and their performances... that's a big problem for a country like England. Will it be solved?
DeleteI do think that we have some refs with great potential, however it'll be years til they're there. John Brooks and Robert Jones in particular have made a massive progression in recent weeks. Andy Madley is another one while we all know Jarred Gillett has the potential based on his career in OZ. The concern will be the length of the extension Taylor gets to his FIFA badge in December and who will step up alongside Oliver when he leaves. The answer in the short term in certainly no one, however lo ng term I'm starting to feel more optimistic.
DeleteAn easy rule of thumb: English referees aren't very good.
Delete1) English attitudes (generally weary of any demonstrative authority; not very interested in 'refereeing as an art' besides 'not ruining the game' by being too pedantic -> "I didn't really notice Kavanagh today, that means he was excellent!!" (no, he was probably moderately-to-extremely mediocre); stuff like seeing 'diving' as by far greater priority than detecting + punishing excessive force, I could go on) do not result in creating good referees, with the exception of some EXCELLENT officials of all-time football history who managed to combine our biggest asset, common sense, with 'European' understanding to be amazing and at the very top (Courtney, Webb, Clattenburg).
2) PGMOL are a pure disaster and should be closed/replaced immediately, IMO. SFA have essentially the same 'British' problem I outlined above and still managed to create much better (FIFA) referees than us, with ENG having 13x bigger population than them(!!!), it shows what is possible when you just focus on 'making the referees good' (see WC2010), and what also is 'possible' when you don't (see WC2014 :D).
Brooks has a decent enough style and could perhaps replicate eg. Taylor in the future but he isn't exceptional, Jones is too passive and will be found out internationally, Gillett to eg. Kazakhstan vs. Lithuania if UEFA are stupid enough (or, have a sense of humour... :)) will be funny, **everything** wrong with how English people understand refereeing is summed up by their worshipping (that's not too great an exaggeration!!) of the average Aussie. The same speech can be made about Kavanagh, who really isn't very good. When your aim is to create mediocre referees/people who referee the games mediocrely, don't be surprised when you fully succeed! Agree about the top three names. Also Tierney was very good (Irmatov-style of working very hard to be close to play ALWAYS and making very smart decisions), but they killed him with waaayyy too many big games and now he is back to 'just decent'. Another PGMOL masterclass! To me the biggest talent is Salisbury, who can go far by trying to repeat Siebert (compensating for 'limited' athletic profile by very good calls, understanding how to treat 'each incident', and well-judged player interactions). Maybe there are some better names beneath him in the FL but I don't really watch many of those games to be honest...
They are very hopeful about this 'elite plan' and it should help a bit, but essentially pushing referees through the same system which makes them mediocre quicker isn't really going to help, IMO (but PGMOL don't want to help, for them 'our referees are the best and fans just don't understand', and spend more intellectual effort their 'DEI' BS and briefing eg. Dale Johnson to 'control the narrative' than improving the refs, this is the biggest problem). In the short-term, hopefully Webb uses the accumen from absurd decisions like no foul/RC/intervention Pope at the weekend to say "Swarbrick has gone, he was wrong, we have listened, the high bar will be changed in 23/24" -> it would help a lot and fans would be much more accepting, IMO.
These comments are extremely unfair imo.
DeleteUnless he changed his mind afterward, Taylor said at the beginning of the WC22 cycle that Euro 2020 and WC 2022 will be his last major competitions.
DeleteOliver will be at the next 2 euros and world cup
DeleteI agree with everything Chefren/Michael says. It seems that Webb has a different style in appointing referees compared to Riley. Previously, the top games went to the best referees, i.e. Taylor and Oliver. Nowadays, the top games go to very mediocre, young referees, I think with the idea of speeding up their development so that they are ready for when Taylor/Oliver retire.
DeleteLook at the appointments for the games such as Tottenham v Chelsea (S Attwell), Man Utd v Man City (S Attwell), Man Utd v Liverpool (A Madley), Tottenham v Liverpool (A Madley), Man City v Tottenham (S Hooper), Tottenham v Man City (A Madley). Although this might help with their development, I can say with certainty that there were ZERO good performances in these matches. Each match had controversy, and even despite this, complete lack of any control. You could argue this is okay for 'one off' appointments, but look at the above list - they are continuous and still these referees are no better.
I shudder when I look at the appointments each week and see these names on the big games, I know full well they will not go well and it is only credit to English teams for not having the South American/Spanish hot-headedness that these matches don't end in complete and absolute disaster.
I know Webb is trying to promote development but I do not see any potential in the referees that these games are being given to. Can anyone actually imagine Attwell, Madley, Hooper, Jones refereeing abroad? It would be an embarrassment to English refereeing. I hope UEFA pays attention to their performances in England, and also on VAR, before giving them any meaningful games...
Attwell had big games under Riley. Spurs vs liverpool was Riley appointed as well.
DeleteAs far as I am aware there where no issues in the games other than Spurs vs Chelsea and United vs City. Spurs vs Chelsea is always a hard game, Taylor lost control earlier this season of that. Hooper isn't young either.
Jon Moss does the premier league appointments not Howard Webb, it's his job.
DeleteI'm not a Barca fan and I don't really followed Spanish football. Regarding the Barcelona scandal, does anyone remember which game was like “suspicious”?
ReplyDeleteSorry off the topic
DeleteIn la liga or any competition?
DeleteIn La Liga
DeleteDo you think that the recently announced increase in the number of matches at the World Cup 2026 (from 64 in 2022 to 104 in 2026) will lead to a significant increase in the number of referees selected or there will be relatively the same number of referees but each given more games?
ReplyDeleteArbitroInternacional is stating they are expecting 39 referees and 9 reserve officials total for 2026 WC.
DeleteConfederation selection breakdown:
AFC, CAF, CONCACAF 6+2
CONMEBOL 8+1
OFC 1+1
UEFA 12+1
Early predictions
DeleteMakkelie
Turpin
Oliver
Gil Manzano
Kovacs
Scharer
Jovanovic
Will all go from UEFA plus a few others
Any news on who will be reffing the U20 Asian Cup final?
ReplyDeleteI saw a picture of Zwayer and his whole team in Madrid including Fritz and Dingert. I thought all VMOs for CL matches are in Nyon. Is that not the case anymore?
ReplyDeleteIn this KO stage, all VARs are at stadium, Nyon is not used, I don't know why.
DeleteTaylor could have booked a player for reckless challenge in 2' but I think you can support his decision. He is playing advantages in almost all offside situations.
ReplyDelete23' was another possible YC
DeleteZwayer giving into Real Madrid ‘european heavyweight bias’ - soft fouls given to Madrid nothing to Liverpool.
ReplyDeleteBad performance so far!
AR2 delaying simple offside too long.
Another 3 or 4 non fouls given to Madrid
DeleteSwayed the Madrid man tonight. Missed offside by AR1 earlier and ignoring fouls on Liverpool players. Then softest fouls for Madrid
ReplyDelete*Zwayer
DeleteCompletely agree +1
DeleteCompletely disagree. 1 definite missed foul on Robertson on 33'. Questionable foul given to Nacho on 38'. Bar that perfection and CONSISTENCY from Zwayer.
ReplyDeleteYou cannot state mistakes made then call it perfection. 100% madrid tonight from Zwayer
DeleteBar that being the key phrase in my sentence. He's been very good except 2 errors.
DeleteSilly comment - cannot be perfection with clear 5+ mistakes in Madrid Favour
DeleteAre you a Madrid fan ? That is just my feeling
DeleteSorry, but I think if this was a Makkelie or Orsato performance there would be nothing to report. Pretty easy game so far, Zwayer will not be talked about if the 2nd half goes the same way. Perfection? No. But good enough? Absolutley.
ReplyDeleteGood enough- that’s the issue. It’s poor
DeleteDifferent half same Zwayer - 6 soft fouls given to madrid.
ReplyDeleteZwayer looks like he doesn’t want to be there.
ReplyDeleteLiverpool player was fouled - nothing - Madrid player fouled - free kick. Very unsupportive decision making from Zwayer all game.
ReplyDeleteWow, how many yellow cards Zwayer missed already? Stepping on foot, licking etc.
ReplyDeleteIs here Zwayer Mobbing?
ReplyDeleteThis is law5 blog, remember.
DeleteMakkelie, Marciniak are the good guys here (even though Makkelie had the most ofrs this and last year)
Zwayer, Vincic, Turpin are the bad guys here - corruption, undeserved, nepotism, bad refereeing.
This's law5. It's hard thing, sometimes is worse than Twitter.
DeleteFrom me viewing of the forum, the majority of those with expertise always give a fair rating when deserved and a bad one when warranted. I'd imagine Zwayer will get a good enough one. No issues that will worry the committee unless I missed something.
DeleteYes, here's the Makkelie psycho fan club. And the Turpin Haters Club. In other cases, it is generally objective
DeleteHowever, Zwayer's performance was good in a fairly easy match
DeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
Delete@Krokus As I have never ever heard anything positive about Makkelie from your end (to the contrary, you only seem to show up on this blog when Makkelie can be criticized) there clearly is a Makkelie haters club on this blog as well :)
DeleteIt's true, I don't like Makkelie, his style, decisions, etc. I don't understand how much law5 and UEFA value him. I rarely comment on this blog mainly because my English is very poor, but I enjoy reading it
DeleteGreat performance by Zwayer tonight
ReplyDeleteGreat? Been the easiest game he would ever referee. Killed it with whistle constantly
DeletePerfectly handled free flowing gane
ReplyDeleteAfter Matei’s comment last week, Chefren and I decided to allow anonymous comments again in order to stimulate (meaningful) discussion on the blog. Unfortunately, tonight has showed that this experiment has failed, and we return to previous status quo. Apologies to all sensible users :/.
ReplyDeleteThanks Mikael. Peace.
DeleteThank you very much for this. I can assure you it's a good decision, however difficult it may have been. Some of the comments above are a good proof for that.
DeleteOK, I think it is enough again with anonymous comments. We try always to allow them, but you can read above the results...
ReplyDeleteFans, people not interested in refereeing, people writing against a referee just as mission, and that's all.
Thank you Mikael and Chefren for this quick reaction. What a shitload of meaningless comments tonight… Almost embarrassing to read.
ReplyDeleteStarting fresh, I still think Zwayer has been good. Maybe not perfect, but no major issues, however I'm no expert so I'm open to those with expertise telling me otherwise, this being the whole reason I joined 2 days is to learn.
ReplyDeleteI fully agree with your decison to disable the Anonymous comments. I was almost at the point to request it myself. I hope at the next stage games we'll see more valuable comments, both in cantity and quallity.
ReplyDeleteBravo Zwayer for rejecting this stupid OFR. It's a simple moment to judge. I can't understand what was Marco Fritz thinking. LoTG are clear. You make a fool of yourself as a referee if you whistle a penalty for this. Not to mention the way too long analysis from Fritz.
ReplyDeleteIt depends whether zwayer saw the handball or not. If not better send him to review are and let him decide.
DeleteSo you say that OFR was a correct call in fact? I would rather say it was not.
DeleteIt depends whether zwayer has noticed the handball. We dont know whether he did or not. ;) for me clearly not punishsble but at the moment you cant be sure with this uefa referee boss. Ir took way too lomg buz for me the ofr was ok.
DeleteFinally a correct handball call. People need to understand that the arm is there when balancing. No human can have the arms beside their hips when tryaing to maintain balance or while shooting.
DeleteFully agree with no penalty decision by Zwayer. Solid and good performance by him.
ReplyDeleteThat should get him a QF game over Vincic
DeleteVideo please
DeleteAbsolutely strange that Fritz called Zwayer to that OFR, a very experienced VAR coming from the German school, with a clear different trend about handballs than other countries and UEFA. But maybe exactly this was the reason for which he was afraid that committee could have assessed it as punishable and so he called Zwayer. My congratulations to him for having decided to play on, you surely remember the very tricky case of Chelsea - Rennes with the German in the middle. I repeat myself, just extremely surprising from Fritz, shouldn't get again a CL game as VAR this season after that.
ReplyDeleteI think Fritz is competent enough to decide that by himself. The problem is mr. Rosetti with his absolutely technocratic view on handball situations. So i cant blame Fritz to go the save way :). But im not an expert but i can understand his reaction.
DeleteI think this was the exact reason why he did send it and also explains why it took so long time, I don't think he really wanted to intervene but welt like he had to. Well done to Zwayer though, I think many referees, espescially with the game already over, would just have accepted the OFR and awarded the penalty
DeleteA referee is also a human being like you and me.
ReplyDeleteWhen a referee makes a mistake (which is seen by thousands of people) it is a disaster for one or the other.
A referee learns by discovering his mistakes from the match, give him/her the chance to do this instead of attacking (verbally, physically,...)
Because without a referee there is no football.
In Napoli - Eintracht in second half a corret penalty by Taylor, overall no major issues. I wouldn't say 100% easy game, but something to do when still 0-0, but good performance.
ReplyDeleteWho will referee elclassico between Barcelona and real Madrid next Sunday in Spanish league
ReplyDeleteThink the appointments will be out tomorrow, RFEF usually post them on Thursdays
DeleteBarça vs Madrid
DeleteReferee: Ricardo de Burgos Bengoetchea
Var:Soto Grado
Interesting situation now with 3 Italian teams in competition:
ReplyDelete- The management of Orsato. Normally a sensible strategy is to keep him away from the quarter finals UCL to save him for the most difficult semi final (return leg), however Italian teams can spoil this.
- And is Oliver 'trusted enough' to officiate an Italian team in the quarter finals?
Let's wait for the draw. After that we can discuss. I'm also eager to share my opinions.
DeleteMay be two Italian teams will meet each others and the same the two English teams will meet each others this is the draw which Rossetti hope let's wait the draw tomorrow
ReplyDeleteYes, you can wait for it. :)
DeleteActually I see Anthony Taylor in a very good position to officiate the Champions League final 2023, in case no English teams are in the final:
- He turns 45 this year (and won't participate at the EURO 2024?)
- The fact that he was appointed to a not so risky 5-0 cumulative game. Meanwhile Marciniak working his ass off in a very open and challening tie. This is suspicious if you ask me. The same can be said about Vincic'. Easy game, but he didn't convince.
If you think about, somehow - from UEFA's point of view - it does make sense to keep Marciniak away from the 2023 Champions League final. He would be 42 years and can retire immediately. Everything achieved. By postponing his UCL final, it can keep him motivated and sharp.
ReplyDeleteAnybody already considered Orsato for the Europa League final 2023, to end his international career?
https://streamff.co/v/nsQ8AdP6ss
ReplyDeleteThe OFR in Madrid, indeed very long time spent by Fritz before calling Zwayer. I think VAR was unsure and he decided that it was better to send it to referee...
Handball ar 91:11 as only 2 minutes added time in a game allready decided. [6-2 in aggerate).VAR intervention was correct and I don't understand the reason to be ignored
ReplyDelete