Second leg of Paris Saint Germain - Arsenal, semifinal of 2024-25 UEFA Champions League.
21:00 CET - Paris (Parc des Princes)
PARIS SAINT GERMAIN (FRA) - ARSENAL FC (ENG)
Referee: Felix Zwayer GER
Assistant Referee 1: Robert Kempter GER
Assistant Referee 2: Christian Dietz GER
Fourth Official: Harm Osmers GER
Assistant Video Assistant Referee: Benjamin Brand GERVideo Assistant Referee: Bastian Dankert GER
UEFA Referee Observer: Lucílio Cardoso Cortez Batista POR
UEFA Delegate: Eduard Dervishaj Nelaj ESP
I think does that mean that Danny Makkelie will get to referee the Final in Munich.
ReplyDeletegood joke with Makkelie in Munich. what big game he had in KO stage in European cups? no one. why do you insist with him for the final I don't understand. are you one a Makkelie fan?
DeleteMakkelie is definitely not getting any final lol
DeleteWell, we can conclude one thing. Kovacs is now main candidate to officiate it. At the end, fully deserverd if tou you ask me.
ReplyDeleteI think so too. I do believe Letexier could be an option but that's only if PSG doesn't qualify.
DeleteDoes the choice of 4o suggest that Siebert and/or Stieler will be making an appearance in europa or conference league semi finals?
ReplyDeleteNo, I don't think so that Siebert and Stieler wiil be both in semifinals, because the only open game is Fiorentina with Betis. Why do you have to use them for non-matches like Man Utd - Bilbao or Bodo vs Tottenham and of course Chelsea game. I think Siebert will be thursday in Italy.
DeleteBut why didn’t they swap first and second leg? Zwayer in the first leg and Vincic in the second would have been optimal IMO (Zwayer has never reffed any CL match beyond R16 before and now gets a SF Return, crazy IMO).
ReplyDeleteBecause it was rumours about Vincic to have double appointments with the game in Manchester. But now it's not necessarly to appoint him.
DeleteCould Taylor get it if no English teams?
ReplyDeleteRather Oliver who is having a very good UEFA season contrary to Taylor.
Delete@EuroSoccerRef We know that this is not how the committee acts :D
DeleteI guess that's the UCL Final for Kovacs
ReplyDeleteSo, to me it's 95% confirmed Kovacs for the UCL final, as I was expecting. Fully deserved. The alternative could be Letexier but really less probable. Makkelie definitively out, while I expect Siebert in Europe league since the appointment were done before the 1st leg,
ReplyDeleteImo if Barcelona don't advance, Kovacs will get final. Otherwise, Oliver is a likely choice. And if both Barcelona and Arsenal reach the final, we can expect Letexier.
ReplyDeleteFrançois Letexier, the man for Spanish-English duels; at least at EURO 2024 (Spain - England) and in the Champions League (Real Madrid - Chelsea FC, Real Madrid - Manchester City, Liverpool FC - Real Madrid and Real Madrid - Arsenal FC). In the Europa League and the Conference League, however, he passes as "Mr. Italy" - his last seven (!) matches there: Sporting CP - Juventus, Slavia Praha - AS Roma, AS Roma - Brighton & Hove Albion, Atalanta - Liverpool FC, AS Roma - Bayer Leverkusen, AS Roma - FC Porto and APOEL Nicosia - ACF Fiorentina).
DeleteWhat is known about the big Clásico next weekend in Spain? Barcelona vs Real Madrid. Is the referee already confirmed? Maybe Gil Manzano or Sánchez Martínez, in their fight to be number one in Spain.
ReplyDeleteI would go for "neither of those two": Both had Real Madrid only on their last appearance.
DeleteI saw a rumour earlier that the choice is between Hernandez Hernandez and Aberola Rojas, which is also what I would've expected. Maybe it could also be Soto Grado as a consolation for not getting the CdR final, but I very much doubt it
Delete*Alberola, not Aberola, of course :)
DeleteYes, it should be between Alberola Rojas and Hernández Hernández.
DeleteI think it will be the former, since Hernández Hernández had a game yesterday (Sevilla - Leganés, important relegation game), as did Soto Grado (Basque derby)
Do you think Alberola Rojas has the name and history to referee such a decisive classic?
DeleteWell,I think that El Clasicco should go to Soto Grado. But,almost all referees have the game in this round. So, i will go with Busquets Ferrer(I know its not possible),but i would like it, or Jose Maria Sanchez.
ReplyDeleteI’ve read that Soto Grado is retiring this year, so I imagine it will be Sánchez Martínez, or based on what I’m reading, maybe Hernández H or Alberola.
DeleteIn the event of a PSG-Barcelona final, I see Anthony Taylor as referee... Taylor has already made PSG several times and seems to be accepted just like Barcelona (he already officiated the same game last year in quarters). I know he hasn't done any CL elimination stage, but let's remember Mazic in 2018.
ReplyDeleteOf course, if Arsenal or Inter advance, there is no other choice but Kovacs... with which I do not agree…
One of the worst seasons in terms of appointments at UCL that I remember, regardless of whether Kovacs, Taylor, Oliver, Letexier and even Makkelie get the final, Refcom's work has been a disaster.
Full list of UEFA talents & mentors program participants this year:
ReplyDeleteMen: Andrea Colombo (ITA), John Brooks (ENG), Javier Alberola Rojas (ESP), Sander van der Eijk (NED), Jasper Vergoote (BEL), Alessandro Dudic (SUI), Jakob Sundberg (DEN), Joonas Jaanovits (EST), Mohammed Al-Emara (FIN) & Vasilis Fotias (GRE)
Women: Fabienne Michel (GER), Caroline Lanssens (BEL), Michalina Diakow (POL) & Miriama Bočková (SVK)
Thank you.
DeleteVery good choice with Colombo.
Among other things, you can also explain why the Estonian referee got that appointment as fourth official for the Youth League final, he is followed closely.
Alberola Rojas from Spain was kind of a no-brainer, even if don't really fancy his style. The rest of Spanish Second Cat referees are too old and Muñiz Ruiz is too poor.
DeleteThis also explains Dudic, Brooks, Sundberg, Fotias & vd Eijk's selection for U21 EURO. Other attendees like Sozza, Masiyev, Sylwestrzak, Kikacheishvili, Walsh & Minakovic were talent-mentored in previous years.
I‘m kind of missing Sven Jablonski from Germany
DeleteMy pure guess:
ReplyDeleteBelieve or not, either Taylor or Oliver will get the final. Chelsea, ManU and/or Spurs are almost guaranteed to be in the finals. UEFA will not let all England teams in all three finals.
Makkelie also blew the whistle in the final topgame of the season in the Eredivisie. It's clear that the KNVB doesn't have much choice, and Van Meenen seems to have been making fairly conservative appointments in recent months.
ReplyDeleteMakkelie:
30.10.2024 Feyenoord-Ajax
2.2.2025: Ajax-Feyenoord
21.4. 2025: Cup final (AZ-Go Ahead)
11.5.2025: Feyenoord-PSV
Gözübüyük :
11.2.2024: Ajax-PSV
30.3.2025: PSV-Ajax
Van Boekel:
22.12.2024: PSV-Feyenoord
Manschot:
4. 8.2024: Supercup (PSV-Feyenoord)
I think it is a wrong choice by Van Meenen. Gözübüyük would have been a better choice, for two reasons:
Delete1. He has a better and more consistent season;
2. Less storylines before the kick-off about neutrality and appearances (Makkelie’s residence, Peter Bosz, etc).
On the other hand, most people still recall Gözübüyük’s season-deciding handball penalty in FEY-PSV a few years ago.
I used to be a big Makkelie-fan until WC 2022, when he changed his whistle set-up — I don’t like his new style tbh. Issuing cards with the whistle in his mouth, it looks lazy and too nonchalant for my taste. Reminds me of Carlos DCG. Makkelie used a lanyard during his best period, with cards in separate pockets. Also, the lanyard in combination with cards together in a case worked nicely for him at EURO 2020.
Let’s hope that Makkelie will referee his best game of the season in Rotterdam. Sounds like a great moment for a comeback? Best of luck to him and his team.
Vincic in the 1st leg and less experienced Zwayer (who still has a lot to aim for!) in the 2nd leg is a disgrace. Poor management by the RefCom.
ReplyDeleteI see many discussions about this argument, why Vincic for first leg and Zwayer for second. Well, my opinion is that if a referee is considered good enough for a CL semifinal at a certain point of his career, shouldn't matter that much whether first or second leg. One can even read this choice in a different way, from the "very other" point of view, thinking until the last minute to give him the CL final, but then awarding him "only" second leg semifinal. To be honest according to how he has been managed this season, he was fully entitled to think he could have handled the final of the competition. But I see many peopl disagreeing about him and the possible choice. Nevertheless, he came very close to it, if you ask me. Still, EL final possible but rather it will be another name because he has now a big game in front of him.
DeleteWith this appointment Zwayer becomes the No.1 candidate for the final of next year IMO, as long as Bayern or Dortmund do their thing ;)
DeleteThe problem is, in 2nd leg the referee is more in focus and it can haunt a referee in case of a 50/50 call against the losing side.
DeleteVincic has less to lose. For the same reason, Orsato should have officiated Real-PSG (2L) in 2022 and not Makkelie…
The RefCom tends to burn a referee on purpose. On the other hand, it could be a deliberate choice to hold back Vincic on his way to FIFA CWC. And I really don’t like such management.
I have a feeling that Danny Makkelie will get to referee a Champions League final, he should have refereed one in 2022, if Paris get to the Final, Makkelie would meet Paris after what happened with the Benzema v Donnarumma foul in the Real Madrid comeback V Paris in 2022
ReplyDeleteNot going to happen. Honestly, as long as people keep writing that Makkelie should have had a final in 2022, the more it seems to affect and block Makkelie from reaching his full potential. Makkelie is a proud person, raised with values and standards.
DeleteThe same Makkelie also thought he was in the running for the 2022 World Cup final. In all fairness: he wasn't — Marciniak was simply better than him. That's the reality. Makkelie hasn't been in top form since May 2022. And that should be his main focus: reach his top form again.
It may sound harsh, but I see a (very talented!) referee who is not getting the most out of his career. He seems distracted and affected by setbacks, politics and other peripheral issues. Let this season be a wake-up call. I sincerely hope Makkelie will put up a middle finger to UEFA and finally show the world how good he is.
Danny Makkelie is without a doubt one of the most talked-about referees on this blog. You either admire him or criticize him. One thing is certain: he is mentioned here more often than anyone else. That says something. It points to a kind of magnetism, to personality. Makkelie is a figure who captures people’s attention, whether positive or negative. And that’s exactly what makes him special.
ReplyDeleteWhether UEFA values him as they should or not, the fact remains that he has already officiated at four major tournaments and will once again be active this summer at the FIFA Club World Cup. His presence is also felt abroad: he’s regularly appointed to top international matches, while in the Netherlands he is undisputedly number one.
If I were in his shoes, I wouldn’t be concerned about what’s written here or, for that matter, what people think of him at all. His track record speaks for itself. According to the statistics, he has officiated more Champions League matches than many well-known names of both past and present.
Makkelie doesn’t need our opinions or judgments to prove his worth. He is only 42 years old and still has many years ahead of him. And when his older colleagues eventually step down, UEFA should be glad to have Makkelie available for the big matches.
That’s a nice piece of text and campaign. I think he could have written it himself :P
DeleteHonestly, I grant Makkelie all the finals in the world. But at the same time, it is sensible to hold up a critical mirror and conclude that his level is declining. Makkelie has never reached his full potential imo.
And besides, for a referee it is not a good thing to be very visible in local media (makes him an even bigger target). And it is also a bad thing to be the main discussion point after a game, which happened too often this season.
I think you might be exactly the example anonymous was referring to. You just couldn’t resist bringing up Makkelie again — must be that undeniable pull, haha
DeleteDo you think if Arsenal advance this evening (creating an Inter-Arsenal final), it could be make it more problematic to appoint Kovacs given he already refereed that match this season? He rightly awarded the Italian side a penalty but perhaps should also have given an ‘eleven meter’ to the away team.
ReplyDeleteI doubt it. Who is the alternative? Probably Letexier, but he seems a lock in UEL final with no alternative, too (unless both English teams are out => Oliver).
DeleteI am more curious about Kovács’ VAR. Recently he was paired with Popa, but not in the bigger games. Honestly a final assignment for Van Boekel (AVAR yesterday) would be a big joke, but with his friend Björn Kuipers in the committee… Please no.
I don't think, anyone would care about that game in November. Similar to Vincic getting Arsenal-PSG twice this season.
DeleteAbout the VAR: Higler, Dankert and Dingert seem the first choices to me. They had the most games and already worked with Kovacs this season.
Dankert could be spared for Zwayer and Dankert&Higler had the SF 2nd legs - so maybe Dingert is the best choice.
The not-given penalty to Arsenal remained "under the radar". That’s good enough for Rosetti and Co. Could have been different had it been an Italian club. Or a decision in injury time of the semi. ;)
DeleteI’m actually concerned we will see a final assignment for Van Boekel because 1) he is a friend of Kuipers and 2) still "present" as (A)VAR, despite his remarkable non-intervention in Brugge-Atalanta. Compare his management with Rob Dieperink; the latter is completely removed from the scene. Van Boekel's non-intervention was by far more controversial, though.
Michael Oliver deserves a final too imo - Nations League an option?
Yeah I agree with Unknown. I definitely think we will see Kovacs in the final (despite the missed penalty with the same teams involved).
DeleteAbout the VAR‘s, I also expect Van Boekel as VAR. TBH I don’t think they let him leave the scene without having been the VAR in a CL final.
And yeah, Oliver is the main candidate to officiate NL Final IMO, if this doesn’t interfere with the CWC preparation.
I think Marciniak is the best referee in the world regarding management, but we have to admit that he often ends his matches with controversies.
ReplyDeleteYes, but we shall not forget that Marciniak always gets the toughest games....
DeleteTurpin had less controversy or headlines in 2025, however the French officials was appointed to a couple of first legs (play-off / R16 / SF). That’s a big difference! There is always less focus, and less complaints when there are still 90+ minutes to be played.
Fully agree ! But why not try other referees on this kind of games ? I’m not sure Turpin, Letexier, Vincic, Kovacs… deserve it less than Marciniak. Some readers say he is the man for the big, tough games, and I agree, but it’s always him. Why not try someone else one day ?
DeleteI think without PSG in the Semi Finals, Turpin would have gotten a second leg…
DeleteOT: Hernandez Hernandez will officiate El Clasicco Barcelona against Real,from unofficial sources.
ReplyDeleteToday in Saudi Arabia:
ReplyDeletear-Rāʾid vs al-Hilāl
Donatas Rumšas, Aleksandr Radiuš, Dovydas Sužiedėlis (Donatas Šimėnas, Orestas Abramavičius)
al-Ahlī vs at-Taʿāwun
Sandro Schärer, Stéphane De Almeida, Jonas Erni (Fedayi San)
an-Naṣr vs al-Ittiḥād
Danny Makkelie, Hessel Steegstra, Jan de Vries (Rob Dieperink)
Today in Cyprus
AEK Larnaca vs Omónia Nicosia
Srđan Jovanović (Momčilo Marković)
Apóllon Limassol vs Páfos FC
Damian Sylwestrzak (Kornel Paszkiewicz)
Yesterday in Kuwait
at-Taḍāmun vs al-ʿArabī
Horațiu Mircea Feșnic (Adrian Sorin Costreie)
al-Kuwait vs al-Qādisīya
Serdar Gözübüyük (Jeroen Manschot)
What is the situation with Jovanovic? From what I see he is still active but in UEFA this season nothing... is Italy-England still the reason?
DeleteDiego: I watched one of Jovanovic's games in Cyprus a couple of months ago. For what my opinion is worth, I was unimpressed. He lacked concentration, missing a number of clear fouls, including a rather blatant penalty for handball which was only given after an intervention. The overall impression was rather weak (and more than 'just having a bad day'). I think it is possible he may be demoted to the first category.
DeleteI just checked my records and the game was AEL Limassol against APOEL Nicosia on the 16th February this year. This is what I wrote to a friend back then: "Another foreign game :D to be honest, I didn't like this performance by Jovanovic. The game was very sterile behind closed doors but the Serb's refereeing was simply too 'lazy' for me (both in assessing incidents, where he missed too much, and in management things). The clip, both about to whistle the penalty live before changing his mind and then missing a clear foul on the penalty area edge, are good examples of that. It also seemed his physical condition wasn't optimal. To be honest, from my perspective his career as a potential UEFA Top referee should be over."
DeleteHere is the clip of the mentioned penalty incident: https://www.streambug.io/cv/6fa218
Your thoughts on this situation with this angle ?
ReplyDeletehttps://x.com/BarcelonistaQle/status/1920112456208179660
Very quiet first half for Zwayer, correct cards.
ReplyDeleteSo far even impossible to make a small comparison with yesterday game. And the key is always that English teams play differently. Today we have PSG, but once they score and they are rather safe... definitely no issues for the referee.
However, let's wait for second half!
Good first half from zwayer
ReplyDeleteVery good first half by Zwayer crew. Nothing to say but easy match.
ReplyDeleteWith PSG potentially qualifying for the final, then we have Oliver, Kovacs and Zwayer in the running for the final in Munich.
ReplyDeleteCome on men... Zwayer its a Lack of authority.
DeleteWat a difference with Marciniak.
This men cant be candidate.
Classic UEFA penalty decision. English media and arsenal going ballistic
ReplyDeleteBut for me correct and even very good VAR intervention for handball penalty. Impossible to spot this one live for Zwayer, excellent usage of VAR technology. Minute 66.
DeleteYes, his arms are extended backwards and it doesn't give the impression for me that he makes the body too big for the ball. But of course at UEFA it's a handball.
DeleteAnd I always find it really sad when accidents like this happen when a player tries to twist his body to defend against an opponent trying to kick the ball and his arm gets separated from his body.
What can be said? Classic Uefa penalty, hand away from body, shot on target. Equally, would never be given in England so Arsenal likely to be frustrated. There is zero intention whatsoever and it is a natural movement when turning your back, but we have to say good intervention as it is what Uefa expects
ReplyDeleteGame has gone ..Why be the only person in the stadium to see that. Awful
ReplyDeleteWould never be given in the UK but no doubt in a UEFA competition. Personally feel there should be an allowance in the LOTG for handballs that have zero effect on the play/ball
ReplyDeleteZero effect? The ball was deflected and goal may have been scored.
DeleteWhy has the comment of "justice" been removed? Merely quoting the commentary on TNT sports
ReplyDeleteAt least PSG have won it with 2 great goals
Thank you my friend . It was justice tho
DeleteNot a challenging game and in my opinion Arsenal didn't give idea they ŵanted to do it. Having said that, not good for Zwayer to have OFR. Hard to spot but correct call by VAR.
ReplyDeleteNo foul given right before the Arsenal arsenal. Wasn't enough of a foul for VAR to get involved.
ReplyDeleteI want Oliver but I think will be Kovacs
ReplyDeleteOliver will got NL final, because England is not in that competition. and the last games are also in Munchen.
DeleteWell,decent performance by Zwayer in football focused game. One OFR, but hard to spot on the field. Now we have an PSG-INTER final. As I mentioned earlier, I think that English referees are out, Letexier tonight officialy out,so Kovacs no.1 candidate. Your opinion,gentelmans?
ReplyDeleteI see it differently. With Arsenal eliminated, Oliver is back in contention with Kovacs and even Zwayer himself to lead the final in Munich.
DeleteI would not rule out the English referees, but I believe it will be Kovacs. However I hope Makkelie will get the CL Final at last.
DeleteDo you still have hope for Makkelie and Taylor? Sorry, but in my opinion, when I had the opportunity to demonstrate my deservingness to be in the final in Munich, I planned mainly with the mistakes at Euro 2024. At the very least, the Dutchman can get back on his feet and try to get another chance to reach a CL final in the next 2 or 3 years, but Taylor, due to his advanced age, I feel it is too late.
DeleteI think Taylor has made way to many egregious errors and bad headlines in the past few years. He certainly does not deserve the CL final imo. I was thinking about Oliver. But UEFA may have a different view on it, they seem to like Taylor, which is why I said the English referees. I agree that Makkelie has the chance to reach the CL final in the future, but so does Kovacs.
Delete"Taylor has made way too many egregious errors"
DeleteCan you name them?
Spain - Germany, the AS Rome Sevilla Final, for example
Delete"He certainly does not deserve the CL final" Come on, something we have learned throughout this time is that it doesn't matter if you deserve it or not, if they want to give you the CL final, they will. Clear example last year, Vincic did NOT deserve that final but we know how it works. (Although I don't see any chances for Taylor with Inter TBH, if it had been with Barcelona I can assure you that he would have a chance).
DeleteGood performance by Felix Zwayer. And we should forgive him about the OFR, no referee on this planet would have called this one live. I think he definitely payed back the trust UEFA gave to him.
ReplyDelete+1.
DeleteI agree
DeleteFully agree. Well done to German crew !
DeleteGreat thing that we dont talk a lot about Zwayer.
ReplyDeleteHe did great job,all his bookings were correct and he was perfect for this match.
Only big mistake was not seen handball that was corrected by VAR.
OT:
ReplyDeleteResponding to the Catalan club's fury, Marciniak told Al Qahera dismissively: "What can I say about these stupid comments? I didn't wrong anyone." Unperturbed by news of Barcelona drafting a formal complaint to UEFA, Marciniak responded: "I'm ready for anything."
Additionally, Marciniak asserted: "Inter's third goal was definitely valid."
Barcelona is just a very sore loser. Horrible. And as always, the referee is to blame. Embarrassing
DeleteIf true, I don't understand what's the point of a referee giving statements like this to a journalist? "Their comments are ridiculous." Congratulations, now you can't referee Barcelona ever again. Sometimes is better to keep your mouth shut. But I can imagine how big egos all the referees at this level are...
DeleteKovács will referee the Champions League final. That’s fine, however Pol van Boekel should be nowhere near that final as VAR, after his ridiculous non-intervention in Brugge-Atalanta, which cost Umut Meler his season. Collegial? Not so much… Fact is, Pol van Boekel is still hanging around in Nyon, while Rob Dieperink was completely removed from the scene after ROU-BIH. This management is inexplicable!
ReplyDeleteThink about it:
If Pol Van Boekel is appointed as VAR in the UCL final 2025, this is basically Björn Kuipers and Kyros Vassaras doing a high-five after Makkelie failed in Romania. A strong rejection, used to push the Kovács and Boekel combination?
The rejection of Makkelie was understandable, but also harsh as every referee has had poor and underwhelming games this season, including (!!) István Kovács. But the Romanian always retained the support. Dirty games are being played in Nyon - I’m afraid we can't draw any other conclusion.
Meler might have been unwise to award Club Brugge a penalty, but the decision was actually correct (it is a foul which occured within the relevant rectangle on the pitch). The defender from the away team panicked and lost interest in the ball, carelessly striking the attacker in the face. I can't understand how this could be deemed as a missed intervention by anyone.
DeleteI don't understand the Vassaras comment either. It is the same as people who say "Arriaga gave Codesal the 1990 final". The big final is the point at which lobbyism is *least* relevant. If the Romanian was given help it was, for instance, the point at which he was exaggeratedly promoted to the elite category - not now. Kovacs will (it seems) be awarded the CL final because he is highest-rated referee who hasn't yet done it, with the consideration of two other potential referees (Taylor and Makkelie) having fallen. Personally, I don't think it is that controversial.
Finally, given that Higler (ie, not him) did Inter-Barcelona, it does seem likely Van Boekel will VAR the final.
Kovács and Letexier are mentioned as candidates for UCL- and UEL finals. Both are exceptional referees, but also had poor or underwhelming performances this season. And I assume, this is exactly where the politics and lobbyisme kicks-in. Some referees are supported after “below par” performances and are given new opportunities:
Delete- Letexier recovered in Real-Liverpool after a poor season start;
- Obrenovic (not much to add);
- Massa’s UEL QF after Liverpool-PSG game.
- Kovács’ missed penalty to Arsenal and a below par PSG-Bayern didn’t affect his appointments at all.
While other referees are instantly rejected (Makkelie).
Another detail: Makkelie lost trust and a Champions League final after Real-PSG. For Kovács, on the other hand, the penny dropped on the right side: the Romanian got the UEL final last season after PSG’s win over Barcelona (despite the Spanish fury) and this season he survived Liverpool-PSG and will probably get the Champions League final. On paper, these are mindblowing statistics imo. Side note: Kovács also refereed the Slovenia-Slovakia 1-0 play-off in the Nations League (Ceferin watching?). Cakir and Orsato had a different faith.
ReplyDeleteIt has been discussed here before, but apparantly a performance with certain clubs or National Teams can either make a burn a career..? I'm really concerned that fairplay could be undermined by such management.
still you hate Kovacs, don't lie here. i think you are Pavel Fernandez a no name referee in Spain, and not important like Burull, Carballo or Mejuto. Makkelie destroyed even Romania vs Bosnia with that clear penalty so how he could got CL final. Kovacs also had Real vs City and he passed well.
DeleteIchigo, no offense. This is not a personal attack. I am criticizing the policy and management at UEFA, and I have my sources. You cannot deny that Kovács also had weaker games this season. Why did it NEVER affect him and his appointments? And why was Danny Makkelie -- who had a very good season until Benfica — Barcelona instantly rejected? My sources confirmed that Kyros Vassaras has huge influence inside UEFAs RefCom, and the UEFA appointments. He strategically carried Kovács to the top and always backed him. Even after 18+ cards in Czechia-Turkey or when he had “an argument” with an observer (Alain Hamer).
DeleteMoreover, why can a club (without a rich history) like PSG make or break a referee career? Or a football-dwarf like the Slovenian NT. What is Ceferin interfering with (see Cakir?). The UEFAs president should be independent from the Referee Committee. Nyon is one big snakehole, believe me.
For the record, I am not a fan of Makkelie and his lazy style and I’m the first one to admit that his form is declining. However, fact is that Björn Kuipers does not support Makkelie at all. Björn Kuipers has a big ego and wants to be in the history books as the best Dutch referee of all time. When Kuipers retired, Makkelie was forced to work with his friend Pol van Boekel. The same Björn Kuipers pushed to promote Sander van der Eijk to category 1, while a bigger talent with strong Elite potential (Marc Nagtegaal) remained in Category 2 and is probably blocked for unknown time now.
Currently the Spanish and Italian referees are missing the FCWC this summer, and we can already conclude how politics do their work. Rosetti and Carballo are pushing and establishing a Spanish and Italian candidate for next season. In fact, missing the FCWC is a strong argument for their compensation strategy. I can’t see a Spanish or Italian missing the World Cup 2026 boat and it will be at the expense of 2 very experienced names.
What I’ve noticed is that Makkelie appears to be a different referee in UEFA competitions compared to FIFA tournaments or international invitations. For example, as Mikael mentioned three weeks ago, he had a smooth game in Egypt. Last week, his performance in Cyprus was strong as well. And just yesterday, he officiated a high-stakes match between Al Nassr and Al Ittihad without any issues, full acceptance from the players and positive recencies in the media. It could be that he became less confident when officiating UEFA matches.
Deletehttps://x.com/blasteralex/status/1920230725539844554?s=46&t=Ok5OCp_U1mZPFDKlm4EOGQ
ReplyDeleteVery interesting analysis here. And the good one for me. First foul outsider and still Lamal can play and second one inside the box. So good call by Marciniak to give a PK and wrong re-refereeing by dutch VAR…
without an English team in the UCL Final, It looks likely that either Anthony Taylor or Michael Oliver will get the Final
ReplyDeleteMy predictions
ReplyDeletePSG-INTER:KOVACS
MANU-TOTTENHAM:KRUZLIAK/J.SANCHEZ
BETIS-CHELSEA:T.STİELER/
Chefren,Well will the refeeres of the final matches be announced?
ReplyDelete