The following referees have been appointed to oversee the second legs of 2023/24 UEFA Europa League Semifinals.
Thursday 9 May 2024
21:00 CET - Bergamo (Stadio di Bergamo)
Atalanta BC (ITA) - Olympique de Marseille (FRA)
Referee: Jesús Gil Manzano ESP
Assistant Referee 1: Diego Barbero Sevilla ESP
Assistant Referee 2: Ángel Nevado Rodríguez ESP
Fourth Official: Mykola Balakin UKR
Video Assistant Referee: Juan Martínez Munuera ESP
Assistant Video Assistant Referee: Alejandro José Hernández Hernández ESP
Assistant Video Assistant Referee: Alejandro José Hernández Hernández ESP
UEFA Referee Observer: Karen Nalbandyan ARM
UEFA Delegate: Peter Oskam NED
21:00 CET - Leverkusen (BayArena)
Bayer 04 Leverkusen (GER) - AS Roma (ITA)
Referee: Danny Makkelie NED
Assistant Referee 1: Hessel Steegstra NED
Assistant Referee 2: Jan de Vries NED
Fourth Official: Serdar Gözübüyük NED
Video Assistant Referee: Rob Dieperink NED
Assistant Video Assistant Referee: Pol van Boekel NED
UEFA Referee Observer: Dejan Filipović SRB
UEFA Delegate: Mark Blackbourne ENG
Yep,as we expected Makkelie gets match that can get very complicated.
ReplyDeleteIf Roma gets the lead then he will for sure have a very challenging night.
As we saw,it was not just Mourinho that was problematic for Roma but their players attitude.
When you have players like Mancini and Paredes you have constant pressure as a referee.
Even Leverkusen has some problematic and temperamental players like Xhaka,Tah,Hincapie and some others.
Makkelie can win big or lose big,there is no middle for him.
If he manages to have this match under control and without crucial mistake he will for sure be strong candidate for UCL Final that he should have handled 2 years ago.
Ideal situation for him would be that Bayer scores,leads and calmly brings to final whistle advantage that they already have.
His worst and complicated scenario would be if Roma scores or 0 -0 result for a long time.
I expect very challenging given the fact that Roma are losing and they are in deficit so for sure we will see temperamental and hot match right from the start.
Wow; everything moves in the direction to have Vincic assigned to CL final, probably the presence of PSH has finally driven such decision avoiding to take any risk. Well Vincic deserves it but, in my opinion Makkelie, much more and I guess it will be very tough for him to digest such decision (if it will be) and still find strong motivation.
ReplyDeleteSecond point is that I was almost sure about Zwayer as referee on Conference league final but the appointment in Greece runs him out.
So now I'm very very curious to know who will be the man in this final match; probably Letexier is still valid or Soares Dias or may be Massa (without Fiorentina) as compensation for exclusion at Euro 2024.
Appointing Massa for a final in this poor season for him would be a full contradiction by committee, I think the argument of compensation is not valid here, would go against performance principle. In case they should appoint Guida, given how he was used... but that's my opinion, of course, then everything is possible.
DeleteAppointments that are revealing us important things. Vincic doesn't get a further assignment, we can say that his path was similar to Makkelie in this KO stage and both are surely seen as candidate for CL final. Now, Makkelie has this potentially very challenging game in Leverkusen, while the Slovenian is out from appointments after having handled less challenging matches than the Dutch. Of course everything is still possible and I think that Makkelie is a very unlucky man regarding the assignments, he gets always very challenging games but after that no reward. Let's see what will happen, but for sure the Slovenian without a game should be considered as big signal here.
ReplyDeleteHow is Gil Manzano still getting appointed after so many poor performances?
ReplyDeletePolitical appointment. It's about the minimum number of games that Spain must get in KO stage. That's why I thought another Spanish referee could even have appeared in CL round of 16.
DeleteGil Manzano had an OFR in his last game in Florence, better performance overall than the recent times, but still... they must justifiy the EURO call.
Let's hope everything will go well. He will officiate again an Italian team.
@Chefren: However, if UEFA wanted to justify its nominations for the EURO, it would have had to entrust Ivan Kruzliak with more than just a quarter-final match in the Conference League, i.e. either a semi-final match or at least a quarter-final match in the Europa League. Sandro Schärer was more successful last season and primarily set back due to injury. Kruzliak, on the other hand, would have to be entrusted with a completely meaningless game on the last matchday of the group stage, if there is such one, based on his CV.
DeleteWell, it would be a deserved appointment for Vincic, if you ask me. He is 44, Makkelie only 41. His season was very good, his form has been stable for long time now. The Dutch has time to achieve the UCL final appointment and I'm sure he will do it. I don't understand why everyone pushes him so much like he ends his career. His form is better than last season but still in Barcelona - Napoli he was too passive / withdrawn, what too often is a case in his games. Give him time to fully recover and I'm sure in two/three years he will get the UCL final. In addition, UEFA like to keep their referees ready as long as possible in order to have many choices for the final designations. That all clearly pointed towards Vincic/Taylor from the beginning, imo.
ReplyDeleteIt would/will cause a general furore (on the blog) if Vincic is appointed, but I generally see it the same way. There are strong arguments that the Slovenian beats the other three candidates: Taylor (level), Makkelie (form) and Kovacs (experience).
DeleteWow! If this points to Vincic for UCL final, that would be extremely unfair to Makkelie. We can all rationalize it, but the way he has been treated over the last couple of years we can only applaud him that he still has the motivation to go on in the way that he does:
ReplyDelete- UCL final 2022 should have been his, but he was punished because he had the courage to decide against Qatari PSG
- World Cup, where he did not get a single KO game after a more than fine group stage
And now this...
Apart from Makkelie, there is no way in my opinion Vincic could even come close to refereeing a UCL final. His management skills are just poor, to be honest.
OT: Anyone know who will be the referee for Olympic playoff? If I'm not mistaken the last Olympic playoff lead by Howard Webb (host), what do you think? Benoit Bastien it would be suit name if the referee will come from the host.
ReplyDeleteYes, I wanted to ask exactly the same question.
DeleteUnlike for Webb I guess there will be VAR?
In both CAF and AFC U23 they used VAR so I think VAR also will be used this time even when the match will played in France training centre (Clairefontaine). I predict Bastien-Millot for the match.
Deletehttps://voi.id/en/sports/379011
Deleteit's fake news
DeleteVincic in the final has nothing to do with FORM.
ReplyDeleteIt is a political choice. He has been “hidden” the entire season in the crucial and decisive rounds.
Many of us including Chefren wondered why he was assigned to Poland vs Estonia. Or North Macedonia vs Ukraine. Or Dortmund vs Atletico the night when all the eyes were on City vs Real.
Is it clear now???
Makkelie is used as a sacrificial lamb the entire season. No wait, for a few years already… What is Björn Kuipers doing in that Refcom btw?!
Its the same as Marciniak last year and Makellie the year before. Their first candidate is given difficult games. The alternative is hidden. Marciniak passed so he got the final. If Makellie passes the final will be his
DeleteVincic in the final is a decision that has been made months ago!
ReplyDeleteEarlier this year (February I believe) there were already some comments on this blog:
“Vincic for the CL final”
“If he doesn’t do something stupid.”
They already knew what was decided internally.
In that same period, Ceferin decided that he wouldn’t be re-elected. He steps down in 2027. But yes, some time before this announcement he made the arrangement that his good friend Vincic will get the Champions League final this year.
Makkelie’s domestic form has dropped early 2024. Back then, he already knew he wouldn’t be the #1 candidate.
I saw Vincic walking on in his Poland vs Estonia game and he had a very nervous grin on his face.
Yet still, there are users on this blog (ESF; Mikael) who believe the appointment was made based on “form” or merit. Guys, don’t be so naive. Just look at Vincic’ appointments and compare with Turpin in 2022. The Refcom has been anticipating to get the Slovenian crew in the final for months!
I don't understand why Makkelie's form is being questioned. He's rarely seen in front of the VAR screen and never has issues managing matches. He's rarely in the media spotlight and is consistently assigned to important and decisive matches. What form are we talking about, then? That he's sometimes too calm or passive? Do you think players are bothered by that? They only care about correct decisions. This season, Makkelie has refereed more games and bigger games than Vincic. He's back to his usual self, and I see no reason not to appoint him for the UCL final, unless PSG wins tonight. Age is secondary when you appoint based on quality.
DeleteI'm not naive; everyone knows there are political circumstances and the axioms 'the appointment was made on merit' and 'the appointment is (generally) merited' are NOT identical. I worded my comment above very carefully to this ends.
DeleteAs a general comment, and a theme I'd ideally like to write a longer post about in the build-up to the EURO, there is the feeling that one isn't really dealing with such a serious operation with regards to UEFA refereeing in this era.
@Mikael Would be very interesting to read!
Delete@Unknown
DeleteBut it's how UEFA RefCom work under Rosetti. They have a pole position candidate to handle the final and shield him the whole season / tournament. And I just think it's simply OK that Vincic will get it before Makkelie. As the quality of their performances is similar, the Slovene should be in pole position mainly due to age. He also didn't have that form drop (though it's understandable after the extremely unfair treatment of Makkelie by UEFA after the PSG incident; do you also remember that Rosetti mailed the referees to not apologize and give interviews shortly after Makkelie apologized Portugal for Mario Diks not spotting the CR7's goal in WCQ against Serbia?).
So, I don't think we are naive. Both Vincic and Makkelie perform at the similar level although the Slovene was somehow shielded this season but it seems to be a standard treatment of final candidate by UEFA. Both had their UEL final. Vincic is 44 already, I don't know if it's possible to referee after 45 in Slovenia. As said, Makkelie has time (41yo) and he will get it as a very experienced and trusted official. Calm down, guys.
I can't believe so many people think it's fine that Vincic gets the final ahead of Makkelie. When I assess his performances, especially in the big games (although there's not much to assess) I don't see a UCL final referee.
DeleteNot only doesn't he deserve it this year, he just doesn't have the skills at all in my opinion. He's always nervous, not a great athlete, not the best social skills. He's not even close to top5 of UEFA referees, he would barely make my top10. I would rank Marciniak, Orsato, Turpin, Makkelie, Kovacs, Letexier, Manzano, Nyberg, Scharer, Zwayer all higher in terms of pure skill.
This appointment is purely political and has absolutely NOTHING to do with merit or skill
+1 @Marko23 to even say Vincic and Makkelie performed at similar level, I'm baffled
DeleteI think UEFA classifies 3 referees as top 3 (form, talent, experience); Turpin, Orsato, Marciniak. UEFA has full trust to these three referees. Let's say them A+ Group.
ReplyDelete(A) In my opinion there is a group of 5 referees, right behind above mentioned top elite group. Taylor, Letexier, Makkelie, Kovacs and Vincic. These referees have the talent but there might be some different opinions in regard to their form or experience. I think most of us will agree for these 8 referees are the ones UEFA's survivors when needed.
(B) Then imo there are 4 referees can be easily considered with the top group but currently either by form or experience they are not there. Oliver, Gil Manzano, Zwayer and Nyberg. First three generally have ups and downs, while Nyberg lacks experience.
(C) There are 12 referees following those 12 where UEFA has general trust but not always confident. Hernandez Hernandez, Sanchez Martinez, Bastien, Siebert, Stieler, Guida, Massa, Gözübüyük, Dias, Scharer, Kruzliak & Meler. They are not consistent as form or lately improved. Bastien, Siebert, Scharer and Meler are four referees who can move above group in few years.
(D+) For me there are 2 referees who can be grouped with the above mentioned 12 referees but still they are new as Elite referee. Peljto and Eskas. Both of them are quite talented. I wouldn't disagree with anyone classifies them with above group.
(D) There are 3 referees showed lots of potential but never kept there. Sidiropoulos, Grinfeeld and Jovanoviç.
(E) Finally these are normally should be demoted but UEFA keeps them in Elite group for various reasons. Kulbakov, Hategan (I am really sorry for him), Karasev (nothing to do with him but political) and Mr.Collum.
Anyone can discuss these, but in my opinion more or less UEFA categorizes Elite refs like that at the moment.
I fully agree with A+, A, B and E.
DeleteC and D+ could be easily combined, indeed.
I would classify Hernández Hernández and Bastien as D. The Spaniard shouldn't have been promoted at all based on performances.
Strange management of Jovanović by UEFA - he was even B at some moment and now it's very unclear what is his status...
Vale ressaltar que o sérvio não estará na Euro e nas Olimpíadas. Possivelmente ele perdeu confiança dos dirigentes arbitrais principalmente da UEFA.
DeleteOT: Olympic Paris 2024 Playoff Indonesia v Guinea
ReplyDeleteReferee: Francois Letexier
No VAR in operation
DeleteMen's Olympic Football Tournament - AFC/CAF Play-Off
ReplyDelete15:00 CET - Clairefontaine-en-Yvelines, FRA (Stade Pierre Pibarot)
INDONESIA - GUINEA
Referee: François Letexier FRA
Assistant Referee 1: Cyril Mugnier FRA
Assistant Referee 2: Mehdi Rahmouni FRA
Fourth Official: Pierre Gaillouste FRA
Referee Observer: Markus Nobs (SUI)
DeleteIndonesia will be wishing there was VAR: penalty given to Guinea was for a foul CLEARLY outside the box (like Boniek-Daina in '85), ouch...
DeleteVideo: not easy for referee, maybe even impossible.
DeleteAR1 could have helped, but still, very quick action.
This is refereeing without VAR...
https://streambug.org/cv/d29847
Still Indonesia out because of the incorrectly awarded penalty goal. In the second half another penalty awarded to Guinea, and a very questionable, if not wrong decision again. Due to dissent of the Indonesia coach he was sent off but refused, which delayed the match for 8 minutes. Then penalty missed. But still the last spot in the Olympics decided because of a clear referee mistake. In VAR era…
DeleteSecond penalty and some of the tense minutes that followed: https://streambug.org/cv/81cff1
DeleteI think one can't blame too much Letexier, this is a call you make, then maybe there are arguments defender with the tackle reached the ball, but penalty seems to be not totally wrong, defender took the risk of a reckless action.
In my opinion Letexier was put in trouble by FIFA: how much difficult was to appoint a VAR? Even more because at the tournament there will be this technology, so it is very unfair for Indonesia. One must feel sorry for them, of course second penalty could be accepted, but the coach very likely already knew after half time "consultations" that first penalty in first half had been a totally wrong call...
AR1 needs to help there, the foul is 4 yards outside of the penalty area. A little difficult due to also needing to focus on the offside decision and the foul is a bit unexpected, but it is still far enough outside the penalty area that he should have been able to get it right.
DeleteAs for Letexier, he didn't anticipate the counterattack quickly enough and caught too far behind to be in a good position to see it himself.
I don't agree with the second penalty either. Rare mistakes from a referee who is usually known to make very good decisions on key incidents.
Delete@Chefren, do you really believe second penalty can be accepted? The defender was quicker and won the ball....
DeleteImo the second penalty is a correct decision
DeleteMarciniak will handle the KKS Lech Poznań - Legia Warszawa top clash in Polish Ekstraklasa on Sunday. Neither Listkiewicz nor Kupsik in his team. He will be assisted by Radosław Siejka and Bartosz Heinig. Piotr Lasyk as VAR, Marcin Boniek as AVAR.
ReplyDeleteIs it normal for Marciniak to work with other ARs domestically? Or is he always with his international team?
DeleteOT:
ReplyDelete2024 AFC Champions League - Final 1st leg
11 May 2024 19:00 Local time (GMT+9) - Yokohama International Stadium, Yokohama
YOKOHAMA FM (JPN) - AL AIN (UAE)
Referee: Salman Ahmad Falahi (QAT)
Assistant Referee 1: Ramzan Al Naemi (QAT)
Assistant Referee 2: Majid Al Shammari (QAT)
Fourth Official: Mohammad Al Shammari (QAT)
Video Assistant Referee: Khamis Al Marri (QAT)
Assistant Video Assistant Referee: Abdullah Al Marri (QAT)
Nice to see refreshment from the refcom and for the first time I praise the choice from the refcom after catasthropic Asian Cup. The other appointment that looks positive was Omar Mohamed (UAE), another some few hopes for Asian refereeing. He got the last (2024) AFC Cup final last week. I think with this appointment Abdulrahman Al Jassim need to be worried for his place in USA. Surely when we talk "Arab World" referee there is still a hope, but we must look at who will be the referee for 2nd leg and based on the unwritten law, it will be someone from EAFF or AFF, hopefully not Ma Ning again :) I bet for "old name" but good enough, Kim Jong Hyeok from Korea Republic for the 2nd leg.
Delete@Juan Ilgiz Tantashev will handle the 2nd leg
DeleteTwo throw in decisions in the first 5 minutes for Manzano and AR2 - didn’t have a clue about either. Not a convincing start
ReplyDeleteAs could have been expected, Leverkusen - Roma is a very hard and difficult match. 4 yellow cards already, all correct, but Makkelie has a very difficult match at hands.
ReplyDelete5 right now,not even half an hour...
DeleteSurprise would be if we eont see any RC...
dont*
DeletePenalty for Roma looked like a mutual holding but very difficult to spot...
ReplyDeleteWow,now expect match to be ven more challenging for Makkelie.
ReplyDeleteHolding in the middle of penalty area and YC for (not genuine) SPA by Makkelie.
ReplyDeletehttps://dubz.co/v/pc2kst
And now after the goal, the game can turn into an extremely challenging one.
And if this result stays,very challening match is going to be.
DeletePlenty YC's,penalty and things will for sure get tougher for ref.
Doubtful penalty, both were holding. I prefer not whistling in such cases
DeletePenalty for AS Roma and question.
DeleteThe Lotg says:
Where a player commits an offence against an opponent within their own penalty area which denies an opponent an obvious goal-scoring opportunity and the referee awards a penalty kick, the offender is cautioned if the offence was an attempt to play the ball or a challenge for the ball; in all other circumstances (e.g. holding, pulling, pushing, no possibility to play the ball etc.), the offending player must be sent off.
The question is: Was the offence classified as denying a goal scoring opportunity and if not why then a yellow card??
Proref, the offense was assessed as SPA and not DOGSO.
DeleteBut SPA inside the box without a genuine attempt to play ball is YC, like it was before the change.
If it was a SPA ; I agree, but in my view, it was close to a DOGSO. But I can live with a YC.
DeleteIn general, my view of Makkelie is not as positive as you see the Dutchman, but opinions may differ as it are opinions. Rosetti will be more decisive as our views!
I think Profref has some agenda against Makkelie. :)
DeleteCan we for once just appreciate the referees that handle the most difficult and heated games? And when they end such games without controversy, we should praise them even more. Especially Makkelie has a reputation of always being in the middle of challenging games without being rewarded at short term.
I see you like Vincic. In my opinion he is always kept away from the most risky games. Poland vs Estonia was exemplary. Vincic can get a big game at MD1 or MD3 (e.g. PSG-Milan), but you never see him in a high profile game in MD6. That is when we see Makkelie appear in a tight ‘group of death’. You never see Vincic in a knock-out return between two of the biggest club teams in Europe (Real, Barca, City, Milan, Inter, Bayern, PSG). Always one level below that. If Vincic is assigned to the final, I will accept and congratulate him, however it will be an appointment based on AGE only. Nothing with experience, merit, skills or form.
+100 Unknown
DeleteThis second penalty, awarded by Var. On a dubious handball. Defender is just naturally covering his nose,eye,face as if in a wall. I really don't support this penalty kick
ReplyDeleteAgree with that, defender goes down and didn’t see the ball coming, not a pk for me
DeleteCovering your face/nose is not a natural footballing move...
Deletethe fact that he didn't see it coming is not relevant
DeleteMaybe you can easily guess that, in Italy it's clear penalty for hanbdall due to the movement of the arm, hitting ball. Not whistling it would have led to very big controversy, also because a potentially decisive call. But overall it's true that if we look at this offense country by country, many people have very different ideas and that's not good, if you ask me. But the problem it's impossible to solve.
DeleteExtremely challenging game for Makkelie, at the end the best outcome for a referee: zero complaints. Roma got two penalties, second one very clear here other people can disagree (very difficult to see for Makkelie live) and the German side qualified.
ReplyDeleteThe Dutch immediately noticed the nature of the game, he was clearly already aware after first leg facts, and he officiated the game starting with yellow cards when needed. Some tense moments in first half were solved with correct bookings, in second half game was intensive but never unfair. I think we can talk about a good performance for the Dutch in maybe one of the most challenging marches of the season. First things: very important to end without any controversy and he managed that.
I think a very good performance in a very challenging match. You know why they send Makkelie to this match.
DeleteDoubtful first penalty and OFR for the second one. Can't see him in the UCL finals, sorry.
Deletei can, but he probably won't.
DeleteBut I disagree with your arguments. Don't think the penalty's were that doubtful and when referees who had an OFR can't do a final, then there will be no referee left for the final.
Very strong performance by Makkelie. He maintained control throughout the entire match and issued yellow cards at the right moments. He also managed the benches well. The two penalties are indisputable. Both were justified. The handball was hard for Makkelie to see, but the VAR intervention was correct. There was one moment where he was slightly out of position, but fortunately, it did not lead to any issues. For me, this is the team for the UCL final we saw tonight. No one is talking about the officiating, and that's what UEFA wants.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
DeleteAtalanta vs Leverkusen tends to be a great football game! Two teams that play in a very fascinating way. There is no better available than Kovacs for this! But a small question that arises is: What will be the VAR? Because he usually works with Italians and Germans and that won't be a possibility. It will be necessary to leave the usual for this match.
ReplyDeleteMaybe Hernandez Hernandez as EL final VAR to compensate the Spanish appointments in KO stage?
DeleteI did some deep research, there is a match that Kovacs worked with Hernández Hernández: Lokomotiv Moscow 1x2 Bayern in 2020-21. So it's nothing new.
DeleteA positive view through the glasses of a Dutchman. I think he is far away from the final, but you never know. By the way, bench management is a task for the 4th official and yes you are right his positioning management is too often in conflict with hindering the game as you rightly describe.
ReplyDeleteFor the final I prefer the Vincic team.
What’s the point you want to make with your first sentence? Do you think your (negative) opinion about Makkelie will be enforced by trying to make an opposite opinion look biased? I can’t really appreciate such a way of discussion to be honest.
DeleteThen about Makkelie’s performance, I’m quite a lot more positive than you are. If you allow me of course, as a non-Dutch. I think he did a very good job in managing this game, the players and the team officials (where a true leader ofc helps his 4th official when things get heated). There was a level of control which not always (or rather often not) is observed in games of the Italians. He was generally well accepted by players and coaches of both teams, and no controversy whatsoever after the match. Disciplinary management very efficient and foul selection accurate. First penalty IMO is by all means acceptable (and I really struggle to recognize even a slight DOGSO scenario, because no control of the ball and no possibility to gain control), second penalty very clear in UEFA’s guidelines.
Then yes, one could make some critical observations about positioning. And yes, it would have been better if Makkelie would have spotted the handball penalty himself. But in the end, IMHO he delivered an outstanding performance.
Final or not: You really underestimate Makkelie’s disciplinary line and game management in a very challenging game IMO.
DeleteThe early yellow cards were spot on and really helped the Dutch crew. For players the line was instantly clear and they accepted. Makkelie applied a clear criterium. Just 13 fouls. The game turned into a very open and dynamic game with many chances. I enjoyed every second of that. Best game of the week.
If I remember correctly, Letexier decided to not book any players after heated moments in 1st leg. Makkelie issued a YC to each team and once again, the line was clear and nothing major happened after that. Sure, he’s not Marciniak. Makkelie is calmer, almost flegmatic. Sometimes a bit too reactive instead of preventive. I appreciate both styles.
Good management of benches.
I don’t blame Makkelie for the OFR. Handballs are always difficult to detect for a referee. And it’s a good thing Makkelie didn’t lose his focus after the OFR which used to happen a lot in the past.
If I had to be little bit critical: positioning (nothing major though) and a soft foul + exaggerated reaction by a Roma player in 2nd half to break Leverkusen’ rhythm.
In the end, the BIG PICTURE looked good, as Chefren mentioned. Attractive and open game, a deserved win by Leverkusen and most importantly; Roma can’t complain. UEFA will be happy. They will have high grades and can travel to Germany in a positive mood.
Thanks Unknown :) Almost the same arguments posted at the same time, but different wordings.
Deletehttps://x.com/soralhellas/status/1788688631827157105?s=46
ReplyDeleteWhen Roma-fans are massively praising a referee after a defeat(!) in a semi-final and wished he refereed last year UEL-final instead of Taylor, you know the referee team did a great job.
The possible outcome for Danny Makkelie and his team.
Come on, it would have been very strange if they hadn't liked him after 2 penalties in their favor) I am sure Bayer fans despite winning on aggregate have another opinion of his performance...
DeleteLothar Matthäus stated on TV that both penalties were correct and praised Makkelie's good performance.
DeleteAlways a pleasure to see Makkelie managing his games.
Delete@Anty: he didn’t hesitate to issue 3 early YC’s to Roma, so the performance was by no means one-sided. Leverkusen dominated in 1st half, however they forgot to score. Overall, the game was more balanced than for example Barca-PSG officiated by Kovacs, who also nailed his KMI-decisions, but executed in a robotic and not too emphatic manner. He wasn’t accepted by Barcelona at all. Compare that to Makkelie today… He made two unpopular decisions without too much dissents or losing acceptance. That is what we call the ‘big picture’ on television, which looked good in Leverkusen, but looked awful in Barcelona IMO.
When Leverkusen scored 1-2, Roma appealed that their goalie was impeded but it happened to be their own player. All key decisions were spot on. It’s quite impressive to end this Roma-game with 22 players and no controversy.
Makkelie deserves a final, more than anyone else at this point. He had quiet games and better appointments than Vincic or Taylor.
Live in Bergamo, quite easy game for Gil Manzano. Some questionable decisions by AR2 and a missed YC to Marseille in second half, but nothing really big. Good job!
ReplyDeleteProud to be fan of Atalanta, the only Italian team playing football instead of shouting to referres or wasting time. So far different from Roma, Juventus and all other Italian teams playing in Europe.
Just finished watching Leverkusen - Roma and, for me, it was a very good performance by Makkelie in a very challenging context.
ReplyDeleteIMO, all KMIs were solved correctly, including two penalties for Roma and allowing Leverkusen's first goal. I can understand the opposite opinions perfectly, but my stance on this is pretty strong. As for the OFR for handball, I don't blame Makkelie too much here, it was a difficult one to spot and especially to properly assess. (Contrary to Marciniak's first OFR the day before, but that's another topic.)
Makkelie's clear line and criterium in foul detection and disciplinary management is what I enjoyed the most. He immediately established a clear line by issuing some early YCs, also dealing with a mass altercation in an efficient way early on. This prevented any potential loss of control for the rest of the match. As for his foul detection, "optimal for the match" would be my description, and it certainly contributed to the game becoming open and dynamic (and joyful to watch too). I did see one instance of a wrong free kick given to Roma in the 2H, but I cannot remember the exact minute, I'm sorry.
Match control was assured for the entire match duration and, IMO, never came into question. I understand many people see Makkelie as too passive and/or phlegmatic, however it's his personal style and one that obviously works in most of the tense and heated games he has been assigned too (and he certainly accumulated a pretty nice bunch of those). One example for this can be his dealing with the mass confrontation in 19'/20': calm, even cold, but with absolute authority in the end. Could he have done something to prevent it? For me, the answer is no, as it came out of nothing that anyone could have felt "brewing" under the surface like in some other matches (a very unsporting move by Frimpong). However, when everything settled, a clear message was sent to the players: three YCs that, IMO, prevented any potential big trouble for the remainder of the match. On the other hand, when facing a similar situation in (I think) 89', with Florian Wirtz preventing a quick execution and angering Roma players, I suddenly saw a new Makkelie: angry, annoyed and very authoritative, just when the situation demanded so. In the next moment, he was again the same cold and calm authority as before. This is a feature I observed in Makkelie for many years: his personality can be described as chameleon-like, and I think this little detail serves him pretty well. Don't forget he's been a police officer for years and, being one myself, I can understand how this particular job helped shape his personality in this particular way, especially if combined with a degree in psychology (which I think he obtained). When dealing with players, he is certainly not Marciniak or Orsato (my personal favorite, to be honest), but I think this diversity is something to be praised, as long as it works, as not all referees can be the same and use the same style. (This is a big philosophical and even theological question, but I'll leave it for some other sites.)
On the negative side, I found his movement and positioning on the FoP to be suboptimal at times, nearly causing him to get in the way severely a few times and sometimes not giving him the most appropriate angles to properly perceive and assess some incidents. It is an issue that I observed in Makkelie for quite some time now, starting after/during the last WC and being very visible last season. Now it is definitely better, but I don't think Makkelie is fully back to the almost perfect level of 2021-2022. However, at least for me, he is really close to it. And just to be fair: if I can always find an excuse for Orsato's "suboptimal" movement, then I shouldn't criticise Makkelie too much.
Taking everything into account, a very positive performance for me. I understand many will disagree, but I strongly feel the level of officiating presented by Makkelie should be praised.
I had already pencilled Vincic for the Champions League final on June 1 when he was missing in the set of appointments, however the more I'm thinking of it: why not Makkelie after yesterday?
ReplyDeleteI don’t think UEFA can ignore him after his season and PSG is not longer an issue. Makkelie beats Vincic on experience (47 Champions League games), skills, acceptance and appointments. The only thing that speaks for Vincic is age. However, he will continue until the 2026 World Cup and therefore still has time. Theoretically.
Another aspect is that Marciniak ended his semi-final game with big controversy. It’s not the time to make a political appointment and choose the “hidden” referee when a better and more experienced option is available.
Then, some of you may wonder: why was Makkelie assigned to a challenging semi-final and Vincic not? The latter may have been planned as the alternative with PSG. Furthermore, there was simply no experienced alternative available for Leverkusen-Roma. Yes, Marciniak, but he already whistled Roma in the QF. I don’t think a semi-final appointment will exclude Makkelie for the final - Rather the contrary: he passed the test. Don’t forget that Marciniak was rewarded last season after a flawless semi-final, and Kovacs in 2022 as well, after he handled City vs Real.
Worth noticing is that Makkelie worked with a full Dutch crew yesterday, while he almost never works with Gozubuyuk and hasn’t worked with Van Boekel this season. This could be EURO prepping, but it is also possible they will be part of the team if Makkelie is assigned to the final. Turpin had an almost full French crew in his 2022 final: 4O, VAR, AVAR, and probably a reserve AR as well.
PAI from Atalanta - Marseille, correct decision.
ReplyDeletehttps://streambug.org/cv/8e106c
The rest was an easy going game for Gil Manzano, definitely what he needed at moment.
First names for U17 in Cyprus: Gaillouste with Auger as assistant referee.
ReplyDeleteNenad Minaković also as a referee. Source: Serbian Football Association,SportKlub.
DeleteAnd Jakob Sundberg was announced more than a month ago by the Danish federation in case that was missed
DeleteInteresting incident in Polish Ekstraklasa:
ReplyDeletehttps://www.streambug.io/cv/e4456f
SPA or DOGSO?
@Chefren, are you going to write an analysis about the UEFA finals candidates?
ReplyDeleteHere is my analysis. We are facing an interesting and quite exceptional situation for all finals in upcoming month, with potentially some surprising choices.
- Europa league final: after no appointment in the semi-finals, all the sights are on Kovacs. He followed a clear path. However, there is a stumbling block in my opinion. First and foremost, it is not the most ideal situation that Kovacs has to work with a foreign VAR. Why isn’t there a trusted Romanian VAR anyway? UEFA can’t appoint a German or Italian. For finals, normally a permanent team is selected, and I am in favor of that. The cooperation and communication between CR and VAR requires fine-tuning. Will there be a Spanish VAR, e.g. Munuera? Hold your horses. :)
Moreover, Kovacs generated quite some headlines after Barcelona-PSG. Honestly, I’m always a bit cynical when referees are rewarded after a decision in PSG favor, after what happened to Makkelie. IMO it gives a wrong signal to other referees and the impression that the PSG-president is extremely powerful and not independent at all. The Spanish newspaper called the Qatari ‘the real president of UEFA’. But that is of course a different story and doesn’t downgrade Kovacs his performance in Barcelona of course. I do want to highlight that Kovacs’ inconsistency does remain an issue. He can be either very good or very poor. Take for example the rookie mistakes in Porto-Shakhtar. Other referees with less ‘political’ support would be far away from a final after that game and have to recover in lower competitions. I don’t see a good Kovacs-alternative though.
- Conference league final: for me, this is a mystery. Let me first emphasize that Olympiacos vs Fiorentina won’t be an easy one to manage. I think an experienced name is required there. A second UEFA final for Letexier this season would be exceptional. Nyberg was recently promoted. It would be early for both in terms of motivations. Soares Dias was suggested here, but was his season that fantastic? He and his VAR Tiago Martins missed a crystal clear handball in that Arsenal game (MD5), and his appointments in knock-outs weren’t good either. We never saw Dias with Italian teams the entire season and that tells us something about trust. The fact that he wasn't a 4th official in semi is indeed a signal. However, please note that in all semi’s, it were mostly less experienced 4th officials without (prior) EURO experience, let alone a semi-final Champions League. In short: I’m not sold on Soares Dias. Personally, I hope it will be a choice 'on merit'. Someone who had an excellent season. And if that happens to be a referee who already did a UEFA final before (e.g. Letexier, Vincic): so be it.
- Champions League final: Much has already been said and written about this. I don't think Taylor is a good option based on performance level.
DeleteVincic was the missing name in the semi and that is of course a strong signal. Vincic (44 y.o.) has been the “shielded” candidate all season. Steady performances but not the most difficult matches. He had a bunch one-sided games. Dortmund-Atletico was good, but is that enough to earn it? Makkelie (41 y.o.) obviously had the better appointments. And mainly tight games as well. I wonder if they can overlook Makkelie again. Between 2019-2022, Makkelie was far ahead of Vincic. He was on a different level and robbed in 2022. They both had a mediocre/poor season in 2023. Remember Vincic' disaster in City-Leipzig? They both missed the QF, followed by a not so great performance in the semi. Some
people wrote in the comments that Vincic has been steady for a long time and has better form than Makkelie. That’s baffling, after what I just wrote about Vincic’ last season and when you look at their appointments. It is a signal that the Dutch was appointed to Newcastle-Milan after Marciniak whistled a controversial penalty. And it’s also a signal that the Dutchman officiates a challenging Roma-game in a semi-final return game. Gil Manzano didn’t know how to manage Roma in R16, Marciniak had his hands full in his QF, and so had Letexier in the first tie.
One side note: the appointment of Vincic would be justified if he retires after this season due to his age; like Mazic 2018 who was given priority over Skomina. However, Vincic attended the FIFA course in January, which suggests that he will continue until next WC. The fact that Vincic comes from a very small football country and has the same nationality as Ceferin should be a reason to really “earn” it (like Skomina did) instead of applying the hidden strategy. They’ve applied this strategy in 2022 when Vincic was assigned to the UEL final while Marciniak was the better referee. I don’t like it. It comes across as a political choice, after we all praised the Refcom last season after making choices on merit.
In an ideal world, Makkelie and Vincic both get a final. It would be deserved and UEFA would play it safe. Let's see.
- Women Champions League: Olofsson.
- EURO 2024: Orsato the final, Turpin the opening game.
- Supercup: Nyberg, Schärer or Meler, depending on their EURO performances
I had planned my analysis for today, you can read it. And believe me, I published that before reading this comment, we agree on many points. Maybe on everything I would say. :)
Deletehttps://m.youtube.com/watch?v=9NOz-XDi2WQ&pp=ygUeYWZjIHUxNyB3b21lbidzIGFzaWFuIGN1cCAyMDI0&_refluxos=a10
ReplyDelete2:41
Controversial incident in AFC U-17 Women's Asian Cup
Any thoughts?
The referee was Veronika Bernatskaia, one of the support officials in Paris 2024.
DeleteWell, it would be too easy to regain possession of the ball in this way! Very clear foul and I really don't understand referee here!
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