2023-24 Europa Conference League Quarterfinals. Referee appointments for First Legs.
Thursday 11 April 2024
18:45 CET - Piraeus (Stadio Georgios Karaiskakis)
Olymbiakós SFP (GRE) - Fenerbahçe (TUR)
Referee: Sandro Schärer SUI
Assistant Referee 1: Stéphane De Almeida SUI
Assistant Referee 2: Bekim Zogaj SUI
Fourth Official: Alessandro Dudic SUI
Video Assistant Referee: Bastian Dankert GER
Assistant Video Assistant Referee: Lionel Tschudi SUI
UEFA Referee Observer: Frank De Bleeckere BEL
UEFA Delegate: Attila Tömo HUN
18:45 CET - Plzeň (Doosan Aréna)
FC Viktoria Plzeň (CZE) - ACF Fiorentina (ITA)
Referee: Orel Grinfeeld ISR
Assistant Referee 1: Roy Hassan ISR
Assistant Referee 2: Idan Yarkoni ISR
Fourth Official: Gal Leibovitz ISR
Video Assistant Referee: Ziv Adler ISR
Assistant Video Assistant Referee: Roi Reinshreiber ISR
UEFA Referee Observer: Vladimir Antonov MDA
UEFA Delegate: Aurel Ionescu ROU
Club Brugge (BEL) - PAOK (GRE)
Referee: Daniel Siebert GER
Assistant Referee 1: Jan Seidel GER
Assistant Referee 2: Rafael Foltyn GER
Fourth Official: Sven Jablonski GER
Video Assistant Referee: Marco Fritz GER
Assistant Video Assistant Referee: Sören Storks GER
UEFA Referee Observer: Stefano Podeschi SMR
UEFA Delegate: Artur Azaryan ARM
Aston Villa FC (ENG) - LOSC Lille (FRA)
Referee: Espen Eskås NOR
Assistant Referee 1: Jan Erik Engan NOR
Assistant Referee 2: Isaak Elias Bashevkin NORFourth Official: Rohit Saggi NOR
Video Assistant Referee: Dennis Johan Higler NED
Assistant Video Assistant Referee: Pol van Boekel NED
UEFA Referee Observer: Carlos Velasco Carballo ESP
UEFA Delegate: Johny Vanspauwen BEL
Sharer is now completely recovered and he is back; observed by De Bleckeere could means a final evaluation for a potential call at Euro 2024, exactly like Velasco Carballo with Eskas. A part a restricted pool of 10/11 referees surely already selected for Euro, it seems that for such edition committee is very doubtful: Meler, Sharer, Eskas and probably Kruzliak, Peljto, Guida and Guzubuyuk are fighting for the remaining place
ReplyDeleteIs it likely to get Euro and Olympic Games back to back?
ReplyDeleteIt's possible. Grinfeld and Dias did that the last time.
DeleteSchärer continues his path after the observation by Velasco Carballo (very easy game in Bergamo, nothing to report), and now he will face a very challenging duel in Greece. It's "only" Conference League, but it's Olympiacos - Fenerbahçe, and I think this says everything for him.
ReplyDeleteAnother important observer, De Bleeckere.
Regular assignments for Grinfeeld and Siebert. While for the German nothing seems to have changed in recent times in terms of consideration by committee (reliable referee, but no more than that, still no signals for a possible EURO call), I think that the Israeli is in a good moment, at least he consolidated himself as good referee for such stages of Conference League. That's the minimum target for an Elite referee, but we know there are also other situations involving names for other countries.
Finally, another important test for Eskås under the eyes of Velasco Carballo. Classic game with teams from England and France, prestigious on paper, but then maybe in reality not challenging like the one in Greece :).
Interesting to see Schärer with Dankert and not with San as VAR. Could this be a replacement or just UEFA opting for very much experience?
ReplyDeleteIndeed, and there is also the Swiss AVAR. Maybe for some reasons, San not available? Hard to think he has been ruled out in favor of the German, because he has the full trust by committee as very experienced VAR. So there could be other reasons...
DeleteSan had quite a big VAR-mistake in Swiss Super League as he missed an intervention for a (for my taste and for many fans clear) foul before a goal. This was the reason for that the 2nd in the league lost and is now more behind the leaders. Could this be reason?
DeleteHonestly, I would have almost written San off as VAR after his intervention in U20 WC final to cancel an excellent RC for SFP given by Nyberg, à la Kavanagh/Welch in Women's EURO.
DeleteI honestly can not imagine that the Committee cares about decision in the quite small swiss super league if they do not lead to international media attention. I had the same impression as Chefren that San was trusted by UEFA in the last months and I am therefore surprised.
DeleteGood onside by AR1 in Olympiacos second goal.
ReplyDeleteI definitely expected a more challenging game Olympiacos - Fenerbahçe, but this wasn't the case. Regular performance in first half by Swiss referee.
ReplyDeleteVery good PK + YC decision by Schärer, clear reckless challenge by Retsos.
ReplyDeleteI missed it because I tuned in just minutes before the PK, but also a nice advantage before Olympiacos 3rd goal.
DeleteVery good call by Schärer, in a situation in which UEFA wants penalty but in reality it's almost never whistled.
ReplyDeleteLate reckless tackle on the player who had already kicked ball inside the box.
https://streamin.me/v/b278f3b7
Nevertheless, to most of fans and people, like the Italian commentator, this was rather a very unexpected and "strange" call :)
I think it's borderline careless-reckless and therefore no penalty would have been supported by VAR/UEFA anyway. Of course, no problem with penalty given - all at the referee's discretion! Good alertness and brave call.
DeleteAston Villa FC - LOSC Lille
ReplyDelete13' - Goal AVL, possible impeding
https://www.streambug.io/cv/a470bb
26' - PAI illegal use of arm / impeding
https://www.streambug.io/cv/7ecb95
52' - PAI charging
https://streambug.org/cv/dcc2dc
63' - [VAR] Goal LIL disallowed for offside
https://streambug.org/cv/775b68
72' - PAI holding
https://streambug.org/cv/be9664
Disciplinary and others
https://streambug.org/cv/03ba29
Average performance by the Norwegian? There is evidence of a clear contact at the feet in the 52' incident so a var intervention would have been justified (imo); other incidents are varying degrees of 'normal fare', even if eg. 13' is quite a clear foul tbh. His card choices felt too arbitrary to me, focused on the temperature of the game rather than really trying to make a consistent assessment throughout the game (fe: two tactical fouls at 49' and only the second is booked). One can describe his demeanour as aloof, or even annoyed, but maybe that is just his style. Overall: fine, and one can easily expect Velasco to have given Eskås/EURO24 the green light.
DeleteHow did you see the performance?
Thanks for the clips!
DeleteI agree with Mikael, point of view, as long as Eskas could referee without cards, he tried to go on in that way, no matter the severity and the kind of offense, then when game in crucial moments, cards but only strictly required. This can be the Norwegian style, Moen was the master of that, but clearly Eskas is better and I hope he can be different. UEFA could like this approach because they don't care too much about some missed cards, but in challenging context the referee could be in trouble. Nevertheless, I think it's fair to wait because we shouldn't also come to very early judgment as long as a very important career is starting right now. Let's see how much he will dominate games... BTW in 52' it would have been definitely better to see penalty, can be assessed as mistake, very clear contact with legs from behind. You can't find a real reason this wasn't penalty, and it's by far easy to explain why it was given, in case.
Still, a performance one can describe close to an expected level, but I hope the Norwegian will act differently in future.
Both penalty appeals are more penalty than not, at least for my taste:
Delete26' - the defending player knows well that the attacking player is faster and deliberately sticks his hand out to prevent him winning position / reaching the ball. It's not standard shielding as only one hand is sticked out in direction of an opponent
52' - the attacking player changes direction of his action but he is entitled to do that, then he is 'charged' by leg due to his opponent's momentum; it's not deliberate action by defending player but it doesn't have to be, right?
Having said that, no interventions from VAR are supportable given how much pressure UEFA put on errors being CLEAR and OBVIOUS. In 26' the defending player is (still) in the privileged position and in 52' changing direction of play, accidental character of the contact and defending player's teammate being able to instantly control the ball afterwards somehow put both incidents in the 'grey area'.
Same could be said about 13', the defending player's action is unfair but something more is missing to deem it a clear and obvious miss. Btw, Lille players tactic was to signal infringements in the penalty areas after physical duels to influence the referee (42', 55', 72'). Eskås was rather right to let it go but should pay more attention to problematic duels before the execution of set pieces. No clear warning given at set piece through the whole game.
Disciplinary was really strange. I liked the warning in 8' although the tackle was definitely more reckless than careless. Then, to not even warn 5LIL for LoR holding but instead caution 6AVL one minute later for simple holding not even close to SPA (unless I miss something) was really astonishing and out of context... The same about caution to 8AVL - nothing extraordinary and he definitely wasn't a persistent offender after being warned in 8'... The Norwegian perhaps felt he should do something but chose literally the worst moments for bookings.
(also funny to see AR1 delaying the flag and being dissented at by defending team in 30' to instantly signal the offside offence in 37')
52' is a clear penalty imo, maybe UEFA will support Higler, but for me this should absolutely be considered "clear and obvious"
DeleteThe incident in 52’ is interesting indeed.
DeleteI guess it is better / less controversial to whistle a PK. Eskas is very close to the situation, is using very strong ‘rejecting’ gestures on the pitch and you can also see he is already reporting something in his headset to the VAR booth. I think, those are all reasons for a VAR to stay quiet as he was so close and convinced of what he saw. And I like that Eskas is so clear at making decisions himself instead of just waiting for VAR/pointing to his headset.
https://streambug.org/cv/2ff689
ReplyDeleteIkone in Viktoria Plzen - Fiorentina.
Would you punish this behavior by a straight red card?
At first the push, then the thrown ball.
Looks like streambug uploaded it only as audio.
DeleteHere another mirror:
https://streamable.com/dx4l8a
yellow for me, too harsh for RC
DeletePersonally I think any action like this directed towards someone not directly involved in the match (spectators, ball boys etc) should be deemed excessive and be a RC. You'd certainly expect a RC if that was directed towards a match official
DeleteYes, points of view, for me it's hard to accept that RC would be harsh. But I think that's the trend of modern refereeing.
DeleteYou have two actions against the ball boy, not only the push, but ball against him. If we want to send messages that player must be educated, that's a clear red card. If we want to keep the show, OK YC. It's always the same discussion... (nothing against the opinion of EnglandREF but that's my point of view).
Club Brugge - PAOK
ReplyDelete06' - Goal BRU after good onside by AR1
https://streambug.org/cv/56338f
25' - YC 99BRU for off-the-ball incident; possible VC but inconclusive replays
https://streambug.org/cv/2cc305
37' - PAI tripping
https://streambug.org/cv/85b35e
40' - PAI handball
https://streambug.org/cv/b1972a
45+2' - PAI holding
https://streambug.org/cv/8704a5
48' - YC 33PAOK for reckless challenge; very strong strike with head while fighting for the ball, one can even discuss about SFP; the fouled player had to be substituted some minutes afterwards
https://streambug.org/cv/ed55b3
53' - PAI holding
https://streambug.org/cv/ca8b9e
63' - PAI pushing
https://streambug.org/cv/86e1ee
71' - FK (vs PK) decision
https://streambug.org/cv/907f22
76' - Penalty awarded after GK's intervention
https://streambug.org/cv/c3dcd4
Disciplinary
https://streambug.org/cv/9b3c33