Tuesday 17 September 2024

Champions League 2024/25 - Referee Appointments - Matchday 1 (I)

The UEFA Champions League starts with the new format. A single league with all teams. Please find below the referee appointments for the first set of MD1 games, to be played on Tuesday 17 September 2024.  


17 September 2024

18:45 CET - Turin (Juventus Stadium) 
Juventus (ITA) - PSV (NED)
Referee: Alejandro José Hernández Hernández ESP
Assistant Referee 1: José Enrique Naranjo Pérez ESP
Assistant Referee 2: Diego Sánchez Rojo ESP
Fourth Official: José Luis Munuera Montero ESP
Video Assistant Referee: Carlos del Cerro Grande ESP
Assistant Video Assistant Referee: César Soto Grado ESP
UEFA Referee Observer: Viktor Kassai HUN
UEFA Delegate: David McDowell-Zor SVN

18:45 CET - Bern (Stadion Wankdorf) 
BSC Young Boys (SUI) - Aston Villa FC (ENG)
Referee: Georgi Kabakov BUL
Assistant Referee 1: Martin Margaritov BUL
Assistant Referee 2: Diyan Valkov BUL
Fourth Official: Radoslav Gidzhenov BUL
Video Assistant Referee: Willy Delajod FRA
Assistant Video Assistant Referee: Jérôme Brisard FRA
UEFA Referee Observer: Bernardino González Vázquez ESP
UEFA Delegate: Ádonis Prokopíou CYP

21:00 CET - Munich (Fußball Arena München)
FC Bayern München (GER) - GNK Dinamo (CRO)
Referee: Juan Martínez Munuera ESP
Assistant Referee 1: Diego Barbero Sevilla ESP
Assistant Referee 2: Miguel Martínez Munuera ESP
Fourth Official: Guillermo Cuadra Fernández ESP
Video Assistant Referee: Ricardo de Burgos Bengoetxea ESP
Assistant Video Assistant Referee: Tomasz Kwiatkowski POL
UEFA Referee Observer: Kyros Vassaras GRE
UEFA Delegate: Kris Bellon BEL 

21:00 CET - Milan (Stadio Giuseppe Meazza) 
AC Milan (ITA) - Liverpool FC (ENG)
Referee: Espen Andreas Eskås NOR
Assistant Referee 1: Jan Erik Engan NOR
Assistant Referee 2: Isaak Elias Skjeseth Bashevkin NOR
Fourth Official: Kristoffer Hagenes NOR
Video Assistant Referee: Bastian Dankert GER
Assistant Video Assistant Referee: Christian Dingert GER
UEFA Referee Observer: Marinus Koopman NED
UEFA Delegate: Jacques Antenen SUI

21:00 CET - Madrid (Estadio Santiago Bernabéu)
Real Madrid CF (ESP) - VfB Stuttgart (GER)
Referee: Halil Umut Meler TUR
Assistant Referee 1: Kerem Ersoy TUR
Assistant Referee 2: İbrahim Çağlar Uyarcan TUR
Fourth Official: Arda Kardeşler TUR
Video Assistant Referee: Rob Dieperink NED
Assistant Video Assistant Referee: Pol van Boekel NED
UEFA Referee Observer: Darko Čeferin SVN
UEFA Delegate: Mark Blackbourne ENG 

21:00 CET - Lisbon (Estádio José Alvalade)
Sporting CP (POR) - LOSC Lille (FRA)
Referee: Donatas Rumšas LTU
Assistant Referee 1: Aleksandr Radiuš LTU
Assistant Referee 2: Dovydas Sužiedėlis LTU
Fourth Official: Robertas Valikonis LTU
Video Assistant Referee: Aleandro Di Paolo ITA
Assistant Video Assistant Referee: David Coote ENG
UEFA Referee Observer: Konrad Plautz AUT
UEFA Delegate: Patrizia Hell GER 

78 comments:

  1. Martinez Munuera with Vassaras

    Rumsas in Lisbon

    Eskas in Milan - Liverpool

    Interesting appointments

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    Replies
    1. Strange that Eskås gets this big game immediately after losing control in Galatasaray - Young Boys.

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    2. I'm more surprised by Martinez Munuera's assignment in the Champions League. He is celebrating his debut in this competition after only having handled ONE match in the Europa League - and that was SIX years ago. He also only refereed ONE game in the Conference League TWO years ago but not a single European Cup game last season. How can such career paths be explained?

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    3. Hah, Rosetti's just abolished categories with this appointment. To be honest, I expected something like that. He never paid much attention to categories and with the new format it's even easier to continue like that. One could ask, though, whether referees not-from-top5 will be given similar chances in UCL this season.

      Btw, I don't think it's much wrong to give Martínez Munuera this appointment (especially given that all elite Spaniards disappoint and there is no big trust in De Burgos Bengoetxea and Munuera Montero, maybe they will focus on Cuadra Fernández this season) but if you analyse his previous appointments, then it's indeed shocking.

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    4. Panathinaikos-Lens
      Ref: Juan Martinez Munuera
      Obs: Hugh Dallas
      (*and to be underlined playoff for Conference Lge,
      thus the loser is fully eliminated from Euro comps)

      So one can easily read that as 'passed the (important) test'.

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    5. If one argues that some countries are running out of good referees, one could also point out that in Austria Harald Lechner ended his international career at such short notice last year that no one else could be nominated to replace him any more. Can we expect Sebastian Gishamer celebrating his debut on Wednesday at Manchester City - FC Internazionale Milano as compensation for poor Austria?

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    6. After the previous round match in Istanbul, I would nominate Eskas for a somewhat important but less high-profile game (Monaco vs. Barcelona or Atalanta vs. Arsenal). But I believe the committee wants to test him once more to see if he is ready for the final stages of European competitions, including the Champions League.

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  2. Martinez doesn't make sense.
    He had one EL game in 2018 and one ECL game in 2022, that's all.
    He hasn't even done a CL or EL qualifier in the last years.
    So there was no development path towards a CL debut.

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  3. Makkelie dont get an assignment.
    His var is Dieperink and he is now VAR for Meler.

    Makkelie after sent home in Euro he hasnt any international match.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Maybe Meler was just a replacement for Makkelie?
      Meler has a league game today and a CL game on Tuesday.

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    2. That's a possibility. I read that Meler is working with completely different pair of AR's today. One would have expected to see him work with regular CL AR's before the openning CL game of the last champion.

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    3. Makkelie whistled yesterday a match.

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    4. Did Makkelie passed the UEFA fitness test? Some referees failed and we don't know who

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    5. Makkelie did pas the UEFA Fitness Test. It is still possible to see Makkelie on Wednesday or Thursday, as the VAR (Dieperink) will work from Nyon (Switzerland).

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  4. And Muneura get a chance. Maybe will he the man from Spain.

    Hernandez quite embarassing that he get CL matches.

    Further a lot of promising assignments

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  5. With the new CL format, one could have expected a certain change of direction in the appointments, but some choices are surely very particular. Starting with Martinez Munuera, a referee who will have his debut in the former "Group Stage", now "League Stage".
    Impossible to predict and I agree with Philipp, it doesn't make any sense. Only an Europa League group stage in 2018-19 and nothing more, then only known as VAR from Spain in international games.
    Whatever is the reason behind the appointment, one must underline how much easy is now for committee to send a referee at this stage of the competition if compared to past. If we look back at referee who struggled and strived for having this honor, well, there is surely something that doesn't make any sense. One might say: welcome to a radical change, but this clearly lowers the level by far.
    About the other Spanish, we could see an extremely challenging game in Turin and it will be very interesting to watch the performance of the referee from the Canary Islands.
    Sanchez Martinez and Gil Manzano still in stand-by. To be honest, about the latter, I think that with Ukraine - Italy a negative chapter of his international career started and it's still in course right now...
    Kabakov back in Champions League is in my opinion another signal of what I said before, now committee needs more names for such big league stage and so they try to see whether somebody of the very experienced Category 1 who failed the promotion to Elite in past, can be still used. One could maybe also expect Treimanis assignment, similar situation to the Bulgarian, but in my opinion even worse period in past for him, but he is coming from San Marino - Liechtenstein and I don't know how much this will be possible...
    Rumsas in a rather good but not very big game, Sporting - Lille, with Italian VARs, a good signal for his expected promotion.
    Regular assignment for Meler in Madrid, maybe we can expect a rather easy win by home-side, but still, it's a Spanish - German clash in big stadium. We saw him already in past with VARs from different countries, as the Turkish video assistant referees seem to be not fully trusted by committee. Still possible to see Makkelie in Thursday game, I think. In this regard, VARs are from Nyon in this stage, so the AVARs are a signal of the next appointments to follow, among others, we will have a French, and a German for sure.
    Last but not least, Eskas, at the end what we said, deeply analyzing Galatasaray - Young Boys was correct: committee had the same ideas, they were aware game could have ended in that degree of difficulty and they saw, my opinion of course, based on this new appointment, at least a decent job by referee, the rest, when he could have done better, has been learned for making experience for the future, and I think this was also the scope for that choice.
    Milan - Liverpool has always this extremely big fashion, but the Italian team today is definitely not the same as the very glorious past :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Good story from you.

      You think the VAR can be have two matches in the week?

      Definitily that van Boekel wont be the VAR of makkelie.

      And do you know why its on three days and the rest of group stages on two days?

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    2. About the last question, I think that this three-days MD1 has been made to present the new format and give exclusive attention, in the first week of European competitions, to the Champions League.
      If not van Boekel, Dieperink is possible on Thursday again for another game.
      To add, the Dutch VAR, started with Makkelie, and now it seems he gained a very good reputation with appointments from referees from different countries. That's also because one must consider NED as very important and estimated country regarding the video assistant refereeing.
      And yes, we had already the same VARs from Nyon repeating games in the same week, on previous years.

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  6. A controversial situation in Girona-Barcelona, a pk cancelled after OFR because the ball after a cross touched one defender and then the arm of another, but with a particular situation of arms super wide and high.

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    Replies
    1. Didn't watch but about such situations, as you described, 100% grey area, using VAR seems even useless, because all can have totally different opinions if the previous touch by another defender is relevant or not.

      Delete
  7. I wouldn't be suprised if we see circa 8 cat 1 referees being appointed each match day, leaving roughly 10 elite referees each round up until matchday 7 & 8.
    Meaning as per with previous seasons, the elite officials will still have 3 league stage appointments.

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  8. For sure many more opportunities for Cat 1 referees in this new format for UCL. I think we can expect some more 'surprises' in upcoming matchdays

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I guess we could/should expect the recently promoted First Cats who got Nations League appointments in the recent international break (Jablonski, Godinho, Sylwestrzak, Minakovic, Barbu) to get games in UEL LS MD 1-2, and in case of good/expected performances they might get their CL LS debut later this very season.

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  9. Celtic - Slovan Bratislava: Makkelie
    Man City - Internazionale: Nyberg

    Source: https://www.knvb.nl/nieuws/scheidsrechters/aanstellingen/69580/danny-makkelie-naar-celtic-park-voor-groepsfase-champions

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Why send Makkelie to Celtic -Slovan? I'm sure it will be a difficult game, technically speaking. Lot of power, trying to win this match, etc. But it doesn't need Makkelie.
      Isn't this just... insulting to Makkelie?

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    2. Insulting?
      Wow...

      He had a lot of potential to be top Elite referee but unfortunately he spoiled it and yes, we must be fair, he was treated unfairly by the committee when he was at his peak.

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    3. Wow, i notice somebody’s very eager to determine Makkelie’s status as top elite over. Probably nothing to do with hurt national pride. Let’s just wait :))

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  10. Kabakov has ignored at least 3 clear yellow cards in this 1st half

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  11. Good advantage for the 2nd Villa gaol

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  12. Find someone who is as loyal to you as Hernández Hernández is to the 19-21 Macron collection shorts (those including velcro at the pockets) :D

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  13. Excellent application of the advantage rule by Kabakov led to 0-2 for AVL: First in the midfield, second in the penalty area.

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  14. Would like to see more replays of Villa's third goal, not sure about handball

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  15. have they used the sensor in the ball to determine it hit hand like the did during EUROs

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  16. Kabakov's double advantage in Villa 0-2 goal.

    https://streamff.com/v/af4fde0f

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    Replies
    1. Second wait is excellent, listen to commentator, and all people expecting a whistle! Bulgarian referee being focused on what to happen later showed an excellent skills. How many mistakes we saw in even easier scenarios to read than this one. Extremely good. Just hope that he can find again some confidence, coming back to the referee who was close to Elite promotion.

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  17. The easiest game for Hernandez Hernandez in Turin so far, I didn't expect that. Dutch side so strong in domestic league, but it seems as not the same at international level...

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  18. #YBAVL
    9:15 assessment of challenge
    12:25 wrong throw-in by AR1
    15:30 holding
    16:45 PAI collision vs attacker's foul (tackle) vs defender's foul (kicking)
    31:25 interfering with GK releasing the ball - possible YC for SPA
    32:25 YC 20YB holding
    37:15 good advantage and wait-and-see after GK's challenge leading to goal, possible YC to GK for reckless kick
    42:25 (VAR) Goal AVL disallowed for goalscorer's handball

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    Replies
    1. 45:15 YC 30YB reckless tackle (vs SFP)
      52:45 YC 15YB for reckless studs challenge
      77:00 (OFR) Goal AVL disallowed for handball in APP
      81:15 PAI holding
      84:20 play-on in SPA/DOGSO scenario
      90+0:05 PAI handball

      Delete
  19. Very surprised there wasn't a check for potential red card there. High contact with the studs

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  20. Kabakov veru unlucky with handballs, always xtremely hard to spot, and two VAR interventions.

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  21. How could Martínez Munera not spot the penalty on the pitch. Perfect view.

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  22. OFR for Martinez Munuera in Munich. A wrongly allowed goal became a penalty to Bayern. Mistake by AR2 and then miss by referee about a previous foul, tripping.

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    Replies
    1. Looking at his positing he must see it on the pitch. It's CL not Sunday League

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    2. https://streamin.me/v/6443c17f

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    3. Very soft penalty, he kicked the ball away and ran into the defender. On field decision was fine. Perhaps the refs were too afraid to disallow the hosts goal and not give the penalty?

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  23. Very poor offside flag by AR2 in Munich, now another mistake by him, wrongly disallowed goal. Really sorry, doesn't look at all at CL level.

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    Replies
    1. Very unfortunate mistakes in Munich. Both AR2 and ref are having a nightmare night

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    2. This was also Sunday League, not the best night for the Martínez Munera brothers

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  24. And now a ghost penalty in Madrid. Perfect 34 minutes for those against VAR

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  25. Penalty by Meler for a foul on Rudiger, honestly it looks like NO CONTACT and rather a dive, but to me, not 100% clear whether there wasn't contact with the tip of foot, the OFR should be in all cases wrong, and one could have expected a support. Let's say the VAR broke a bit the protocol, but the feeling is that for doing something correct.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Why do you say that it looks NO CONTACT but OFR is wrong? To me a clear dive, no protest from Rudiger. I’d say rather a missing YC for simulation

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    2. You can see on the referees angle. There is definitely contact. But no CLEAR angle to show it. I expected a support but OFR can’t be assessed as “wrong”, as play on better decision

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    3. Simply because you don't have the evidence there wasn't contact, but you can understand it was simulation only by the reaction of Real Madrid player, and the principle of VAR, before all the rest, is to show why a decision can be changed. In this case, the final proof is missing, but Dieperink decided to go in this way, I think another VAR could have supported exactly for the reason I explained (but then, very likely keeping a wrong pitch decision by referee). It would be interesting to know committee opinion about this argument.

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    4. I agree with Chefren's reasoning - if VAR couldn't prove there is no contact, he shouldn't intervene. The key for VAR is to show proof that the initial decision was clearly wrong. Similar situation in this regard in YBAVL with a goal disallowed for alleged handball of the goalscorer.

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  26. Another bad mistake by Martínez Munuera's AR2 (his brother)

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  27. And the Oscar goes to... Real Madrid's player(s)! Who else? What an acting, what a disgrace! Rudiger had to get YC for this!

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    Replies
    1. I have never seen a penalty cancelled after VAR and a yellow given for simulation after that. I don't understand why. It was obvious that it was simulation and yet it's only a drop ball.

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  28. Many missed fouls by Martinez Munuera.

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  29. 2YC by Rumsas in Lisbon, IMO correct.

    https://dubz.co/c/22cc89

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    Replies
    1. That must be the 1st time I've seen a referee administer a yellow card to another player in between showing the 2yc and subsequent red card.

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    2. I'd say rather soft yellow, of course it was a foul but Gyökeres's rolling over influenced ref's decision.

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  30. 47' clear offside missed by AR2 in Madrid.

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  31. And third overrule in Munich...

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  32. If it wasn't for VAR in Munich, this could have been a disaster like WC 2002 KORESP when it comes to AAs.

    Unacceptable.

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    Replies
    1. I must agree, impossible to see a Champions League performance by officials like this.

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  33. 60' A tense moment in Milan: classic protests by Italian team for a handball (and there was also another possible foul after that), correct decision by VAR to play on, Fonseca was booked.

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  34. All in all disastrous performance by Munuera and his whole team in Munich.

    Also for me VAR made a mistake because the 2nd pk is supportable but not a clear mistake given the natural position of the hand given the movement.

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  35. Apart from Bayern - Dinamo, and I think committee should reflect on this appointment, we have OFRs in Kabakov and Meler games.
    The Bulgarian very busy with handballs, you know, you can't blame too much a referee for the most challenging kind of foul to be spotted, but still it can't be reported as clean performance. Excellent the advantage for 0-2, this is what committee wants to see, the read of the game, anticipating the moments.
    For Eskas rather a fair game, but with a key moment in 60'.
    Tomorrow I will post some clips, thanks to Euro Soccer Referee for reporting key incidents of Kabakov game.

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  36. I didn't watch whole Real-Vfb Stuttgart game, therefore I can't criticise Meler. But there is a mismanagement of him by TFF or UEFA (most probably by TFF). If TFF knew he was appointed for a Tuesday game, how can you appoint him to a game on Sunday? If he is a replacement to another referee, then why didn't TFF change his appointment? On Sunday he was the referee of a game 4 pm CET, then he travelled to Madrid (4 hrs flight) and 51 hours later from Sunday game, he whistled a CL game. He didn't even proper resting time. I hope he had a good game.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. +1

      I think he replaced Jovanovic.

      TFF probably knew in advance, Meler had a reserve spot in MD1, which is normal, UEFA always allocates reserve referees. Just in case of injury, sickness or other unforeseen circumstances. In case of a reserve role, the referee should be appointed on Saturday at last.

      Delete
  37. #RMASTU
    5:45, 45+2:45, 50:05, 84:45 - good advantages
    15:30, 47:05 Wrong onside calls by AR2 - too basic mistakes at this level(!)
    22:40 YC 17RMA for SPA holding
    25:50 Step on foot by 7RMA
    29:00 YC 7STU for SPA holding after strong mobbing from coach RMA
    31:25 PAI pushing
    32:15 (OFR) Penalty for kicking revoked after OFR - enough proof to intervene for VMO?
    37:35 (39:35) Play-on call after possible impeding in SPA scenario
    38:40 Wrong (delayed) FK for undeliberate handball of attacking player - punishable only in case of touch by goalscorer
    45+1:10 Possible YC 7RMA for LoR/persistent holding
    45+3:15 Wrong CK (AR1) and PAI holding
    59:05 YC coach RMA for dissenting behaviour
    66:50 Goal correctly allowed - no punishable offside by 29STU
    70:10 SPA-like offence by 7RMA
    77:35 YC 8RMA for reckless tackle
    79:20 YC 3RMA for reckless step on foot
    88:55, 90+3:55 YC 10RMA for SPA/PI
    90+1:10 PAI pushing

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  38. Watched full match AC Milan vs Liverpool, Eskas was excellent, not whistled every touch allowing the game to flow. Wish more refs would have taken this approach though of course its easier to do in this game than for ex in the Atletico vs Porto match

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  39. We should underline that the level of Spanish referees has dropped significantly after Velasco Carballo entered the Refcom.

    More or less the same applies to Dutch refereeing after Kuipers joined the Com as refereeing officer. You would expect the contrary.

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  40. Young Boys - Aston Villa clips, thank to Euro Soccer Ref notes.

    Coin toss message to players, according to new UEFA guidelines:
    https://streambug.org/cv/56c4e3

    10' Assessment of challenge
    https://streambug.org/cv/736435

    13' Wrong throw-in AR1
    https://streambug.org/cv/9c27b3

    16' Holding
    https://streambug.org/cv/7063db

    17' PAI - Foul by attacker of by defender?
    https://streambug.org/cv/91715e

    32' Impeding GK, possible YC
    https://streambug.org/cv/9ba0b3

    33' YC Holding
    https://streambug.org/cv/ae3edf

    38' Advantage after possible penalty and goal
    https://streamff.com/v/af4fde0f
    https://streambug.org/cv/9b5665

    43' VAR disallowed goal for handball
    https://streambug.org/cv/2bc1c3

    46' YC given, possible RC for SFP
    https://streambug.org/cv/969128

    53' YC Reckless
    https://streambug.org/cv/d38934

    78' VAR disallowed goal for handball, after OFR (please explain VAR protocol to the commentators...)
    https://streambug.org/cv/052e1c

    82' Penalty area incident, holding
    https://streambug.org/cv/014f32

    85' Possible foul, in case SPA or DOGSO
    https://streambug.org/cv/ad4024

    90'+1 VAR check, possible penalty for handball
    https://streambug.org/cv/68f43b

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  41. I was a bit disappointed with the refereeing in Madrid.
    Considering how good Meler was in the EURO, I really felt it was his time to confirm and be considered as a really top top tier referee.

    Not only the penalty, but also too much whistling at times, not keeping the flow of the game.
    Also, one of his AR's ( AR2 I think) was just disastrous missing 3 OBVIOUS offside positions.
    Not good at this level.

    Good to read that Eskas had a good game though

    ReplyDelete
  42. Meler had a good game apart from the penalty. He was a bit unlucky with the penalty, probably the angle he was looking at was misleading as to whether it was a kick on the foot or a free kick and when Vini threw himself to the ground and shouted that he was hit he thought it was a kick. When you watch the replays, the mistake is okay, but from the angle he was looking from in the flowing play, his mistake is acceptable. On the other hand, Ancelotti had an unnecessary dialog with Meler at the end of the match. I think he could have given him a red card. If Xavi from Barcelona did the same thing, he would have gotten a red card. By the way, AR2 is a new addition to Meler's team. But if he doesn't improve his performance, he could cause big problems.

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  43. Eskas: penalty area incident, management.
    https://streambug.org/cv/f5f8d6

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