Here are the appointments for the third matchday of 2025/26 Champions League league-phase, first set of matches, to be played on 21 October 2025.
21 October 2025
18:45 CET - Barcelona (Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys)
FC BARCELONA (ESP) - OLYMBIAKÓS SFP (GRE)
Referee: Urs Schnyder SUI
Assistant Referee 1: Marco Zürcher SUI
Assistant Referee 2: Benjamin Zürcher SUI
Fourth Official: Lukas Fähndrich SUI
Video Assistant Referee: Fedayi San SUI
Assistant Video Assistant Referee: Ivan Bebek CRO
UEFA Referee Observer: Roberto Rosetti ITA
UEFA Delegate: Nils Øyvind Fisketjønn NOR
18:45 CET - Almaty (Almaty Ortalyq Stadion)
QAİRAT FK (KAZ) - PAFOS FC (CYP)
Referee: Christopher Kavanagh ENG
Assistant Referee 1: Daniel Cook ENG
Assistant Referee 2: Ian Hussin ENG
Fourth Official: Samuel Barrott ENG
Video Assistant Referee: Stuart Attwell ENG
Assistant Video Assistant Referee: Peter Bankes ENG
UEFA Referee Observer: Konrad Plautz AUT
UEFA Delegate: Aurel Mihail Ionescu ROU
21:00 CET - London (Emirates Stadium)
ARSENAL FC (ENG) - CLUB ATLÉTICO DE MADRID (ESP)
Referee: Davide Massa ITA
Assistant Referee 1: Filippo Meli ITA
Assistant Referee 2: Stefano Alassio ITA
Fourth Official: Matteo Marcenaro ITA
Video Assistant Referee: Daniele Chiffi ITA
Assistant Video Assistant Referee: Jérôme Brisard FRA
UEFA Referee Observer: Nuno Alexandre Parreira de Castro POR
UEFA Delegate: Knut Bjørn Nordheim NOR
21:00 CET - Leverkusen (BayArena)
BAYER 04 LEVERKUSEN (GER) - PARIS SAINT GERMAIN FC (FRA)
Referee: Jesús Gil Manzano ESP
Assistant Referee 1: Ángel Nevado Rodríguez ESP
Assistant Referee 2: Guadalupe Porras Ayuso ESP
Fourth Official: Alejandro Muñiz Ruiz ESP
Video Assistant Referee: Carlos del Cerro Grande ESP
Assistant Video Assistant Referee: Jarred Gillett ENG/AUS
UEFA Referee Observer: Alain Hamer LUX
UEFA Delegate: Romano Clavadetscher SUI
21:00 CET - Vila-real (Estadi de la Ceràmica)
VILLARREAL CF (ESP) - MANCHESTER CITY FC (ENG)
Referee: Serdar Gözübüyuk NED
Assistant Referee 1: Erwin Zeinstra NED
Assistant Referee 2: Patrick Inia NED
Fourth Official: Jeroen Manschot NED
Video Assistant Referee: Rob Dieperink NED
Assistant Video Assistant Referee: Bram Van Driessche BEL
UEFA Referee Observer: Kóstas Kapitanís CYP
UEFA Delegate: Renáta Tomášová SVK
21:00 CET - Eindhoven (Philips Stadion)
PSV EINDHOVEN (NED) - SSC NAPOLI (ITA)
Referee: Daniel Siebert GER
Assistant Referee 1: Jan Seidel GER
Assistant Referee 2: Rafael Foltyn GER
Fourth Official: Daniel Schlager GER
Video Assistant Referee: Christian Dingert GER
Assistant Video Assistant Referee: Bastian Dankert GER
UEFA Referee Observer: Carlos Clos Gómez ESP
UEFA Delegate: Thura Win ENG
21:00 CET - Copenhagen (Parken - Connected by 3)
FC KØBENHAVN (DEN) - BORUSSIA DORTMUND (GER)
Referee: Danny Makkelie NED
Assistant Referee 1: Hessel Steegstra NED
Assistant Referee 2: Jan de Vries NED
Fourth Official: Allard Lindhout NED
Video Assistant Referee: Pol van Boekel NED
Assistant Video Assistant Referee: Tiago Bruno Lopes Martins POR
UEFA Referee Observer: Rune Pedersen NOR
UEFA Delegate: Gijs de Jong NED
21:00 CET - Brussels (Lotto Park)
ROYALE UNION SAINT-GILLOISE (BEL) - FC INTERNAZIONALE MILANO (ITA)
Referee: Glenn Nyberg SWE
Assistant Referee 1: Mahbod Beigi SWE
Assistant Referee 2: Andreas Söderkvist SWE
Fourth Official: Adam Ladebäck SWE
Video Assistant Referee: Guillermo Cuadra Fernández ESP
Assistant Video Assistant Referee: Javier Iglesias Villanueva ESP
UEFA Referee Observer: Kýros Vassáras GRE
UEFA Delegate: Ádonis Prokopíou CYP
21:00 CET - Newcastle (St. James' Park)
NEWCASTLE UNITED FC (ENG) - SL BENFICA (POR)
Referee: Szymon Marciniak POL
Assistant Referee 1: Tomasz Listkiewicz POL
Assistant Referee 2: Adam Kupsik POL
Fourth Official: Paweł Raczkowski POL
Video Assistant Referee: Tomasz Kwiatkowski POL
Assistant Video Assistant Referee: César Soto Grado ESP
UEFA Referee Observer: Terje Hauge NOR
UEFA Delegate: Antonio Talarico ITA
With 2 appointments in the champions League is kavanagh this season under spotlight from committee
ReplyDeleteWhat are your predictions for
ReplyDeleteReal Madrid - Juventus ?
Turpin or vincic ?
The choice is between: Turpin, Letexier and Vincic.
DeleteNo other names should be possible, as Zwayer is coming from a very poor Manchester City - Napoli.
Letexier already had Juventus on MD1.
DeleteSo yes, Turpin makes a lot of sense there, also with Brisard appointed as AVAR on Tuesday.
I think it will be Vinčič.
DeleteWell, should be Vincic then, because Turpin officiated Italy - Israel, and given that appointments for this Matchday were made before, it's hard to believe they planned the French for two games in a row under the spotlight and involving Italian audience. They should have considered possible discussions in WC qualifiers game, so the last remaining option seems indeed Vincic.
DeleteThis would also explain why Vincic got "only" NED - FIN, in WC qualifiers. I remember a comment stating that he should have got more. The reason behind was then Real - Juventus appointment to follow. We will know tomorrow.
DeleteAnd maybe this time he will have Dankert as VAR (prediction).
DeleteIMO Peljto could be a good choice, too.
DeleteCrazy good game for Schnyder, also with Rosetti as observer.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
DeleteIt's still running nepotism and favouristm!!
ReplyDeleteSo very big plans for Schnyder. It seems we can easily add him to the pool of referees waiting for a promotion to Elite.
ReplyDeleteWhile Sandro Schärer is having hard times due to injuries, another Swiss can smile. We'll see. My feeling is that they have already decided. One should also add that after rather long time, Busacca last big name, the Helvetic federation is now definitely coming back
About Kavanagh, to answer Neil comment, I think he is regularly used as Category 1 referee, but without a real focus in terms of development, otherwise in my opinion he would have got different and better games and other observers. He just takes the spot, as I said before, of third English referee, but of course it's good to have CL games because it's not a given.
Another attempt with Massa, who will officiate Arsenal - Atlético Madrid. I didn't expect this assignment, we will see how he will officiate at Emirates.
One could have maybe expected a less experienced referee in Brussels, but we have Inter, Italian team, and so an Elite referee.
I know it's just an assumption, but I'm convinced. Belgian side at home agains another team for me no Elite referee (indeed, a Category 1 was referee of last game they played at home against Newcastle).
Regular path for Makkelie with this one in Copenhagen, whilee Gozubuyuk is more exposed in Villarreal, with Manchester City.
After having appeared in the last set of MD2, if I remember correctly, and bot before, now they both have already two games in CL league-phase. I'm curious to see whether Gozubuyuk will show a clean officiating in Spain.
Should be a regular one for Marciniak in Newcastle, while Siebert in Eindhoven shows us once again the attention by committee for Italian teams. Second German for Napoli after City - Napoli, in this case in the Netherlands, a less experienced referee would have ben possible, but still a similar argument to Gilloise - Inter (but the one in Eindhoven for me more sonorous clash).
Finally, Gil Manzano with PSG. It's not the first time we know, and once again, the list of referees officiating the French team is not that long if compared to other and various different choices that committee makes. But of course, I want to repeat, this is just my point of view...
IMO remarkable and a bit surprising, that Gözübüyük gets the better game than Makkelie. If the latter doesn't start to get top games again, one probably really has to doubt his WC chances (see previous discussions).
DeleteFor Nyberg, I agree that it is a game below expectations for him. The first referee to get three games though.
Massa and Gil Manzano getting those top games is also unexpected. Makes you wonder, whether they are still supposed to challenge Mariani and Sanchez as their countries' number one.
Decent game for Marciniak, but again not a really sonorous game between teams from top leagues but without the biggest reputation.
I always thought Schnyder was a good referee, but I’m really surprised to see him suddenly back in the spotlight. RR just remains totally unpredictable.
DeleteAfter that poor game in Eindhoven last year, he was completely out – no more matches, not even invited to the winter course, if I remember correctly. I wish the Swiss referee a good performance, because who knows what kind of ideas RR might come up with otherwise.
Yes, it's indeed strange that the Swiss didn't attend Winter Course and didn't officiate any KO game in clubs' competitions, given how he seems to be on a certain path. One should even wonder how much the fact that Schaerer was available at that time, allowed the committee to be more "relaxed" about that? Otherwise I couldn't find an explanation.
DeleteIf I talk to the Portuguese referee some charged me defend of Portuguese despite I am not Portuguese but I feel shame what is happening for the Portuguese referee in uefa every country gets its share except Portuguese I don't now to this extent Portugal referees are bad comparing all other countries in even small countries in football
ReplyDeleteI think what is happening for the Portuguese referee is humiliation for sure so I hope rosseti gives Portuguese what deserve Portugal don't deserve this treatment at all
ReplyDeleteI also didn't understand why the Swede was given a game of lesser importance, when he had performed well in previous games at a more competitive level.
ReplyDeleteChefren,which referee are you expecting for the Galatasaray-Bodo Glimt match?
ReplyDeleteObserver William Young SCO, I think a possible name is Petrescu from Romania.
DeleteI think Obrenovic or Peltjo.
DeletePeljto just finished U20, skip MD3 should be his “rest” ;)
DeleteThis is the last time I address our friend Abdiaziz: I think you don't like to read, do you? You talk about "humiliation towards the Portuguese referees" well first, that word is not correct, and second, do you forget that Pinheiro had the Super Cup?
ReplyDeleteYou also say that "all countries get it" really? What about Austria? Croatia? Scotland? Hungary? Czech Republic? And, lately, I would add Georgia.
Or rather, Portugal gets A LOT compared to these countries. (I'm not saying it's undeserved, of course).
And finally for you, what should Rosetti give to the Portuguese refereeing? A referee in each MD of CL, EL, Conference League,Qualifiers…?
Today, only Pinheiro aspires to great things, Godinho should have his CL soon, Nobre (as has been said) is very poor for CL, Goncalves and Nogueira just start their process...
So the treatment towards Portugal is NOT bad, it's very good. I ask you to be more objective and leave the "fanatism" aside.
OK thank you, but do you think Portugal is the same level of austria or Georgia hungary , with all due respect tothese countries I think Portugal referees have the same level and quality of france or Germany or holland if not better
DeleteHey Yousuf, I actually want to keep quiet, but you're annoying, dude. Democracy does provide freedom of expression, but if that freedom interferes with others, I don't think it's democracy anymore. I think your obsession and fanaticism have seriously disturbed this blog forum. Please come to your senses. THANK YOU.
DeleteWell, it's very disappointing to see Massa get a great game like ARSATM just for compensation...Schnyder is certainly on his way to Elite, but he is the best that Switzerland has after Schärer? I seriously wonder...Makkelie and Gözübüyük with regular games, I don't see why to be alarmed...Marciniak, Siebert and Gil Manzano with also expected games.
ReplyDeleteIt strikes me powerfully to see Nyberg with Vassaras... do the tests begin for a possible final for the Swede? I dare say yes.
The same for the Swiss can be applied to Kavanagh, who is also another Elite candidate.
I had put Zwayer in RMAJUV, probably, but Vincic is a very strong option.
As I mentioned earlier, I hadn't understood why Nyberg had been named for a minor match.
ReplyDeleteBut analyzing the characteristics of "hidden matches" and considering Vassaras' presence as an observer, a nose for the ball, UEFA may have plans for the Swede to play in a possible continental final next year
I think that the observer for Nyberg is also understandable because Vassaras is one of the UEFA Instructors for the WC if I saved the list correctly that was posted here in the blog. Clos Gomez who observes Siebert is also one of them. So I think that Chelsea-Ajax will be refereed by another candidate for the WC.
ReplyDeleteEskås seems the obvious choice IMO.
DeleteEskas appears to have generated some suspicion within the committee, given that the controversial penalty in Bergamo in the previous round may have ruled him out of the round this week or perhaps in the coming weeks. From what we can see, of the two Scandinavian elite judges, UEFA appears to be focusing on Nyberg rather than the Norwegian.
DeleteThe OFR in Milan-Fiorentina (84') was truly terrible: a clear simulation led to a penalty kick that was correctly not awarded previously
ReplyDeleteClear hand in the face. Absolutely a foul. Of course simulation too but the foul happened first.
DeleteWell, yes, in the slow-motion replay with zoom, after five minutes you can see that the Milan player's cheek was grazed. If that justifies lying on the ground with your hands over your eyes for several minutes in a row and an OFR, then the situation is serious...
DeleteWell, no, it doesn't justify lying on the ground for a few minutes etc. etc... It justifies a simple foul, which just happened to be in the penalty area 🤷♂️
DeleteTakeout for Tuesday’s appointment UCL
ReplyDeleteFC BARCELONA (ESP) - OLYMBIAKÓS SFP (GRE)
Referee: Urs Schnyder SUI - Step by step, the Swiss referee is getting noticed by the committee, and it seems he is being evaluated for greater opportunities ahead. These matches serve as tests to measure his quality and capacity. I hope he shows a different style compared to other Swiss referees, such as Sandro Schärer.
ARSENAL FC (ENG) - CLUB ATLÉTICO DE MADRID (ESP)
Referee: Davide Massa ITA - We can all agree that since his missed DOGSO decision in the Liverpool vs. PSG match last season, Davide Massa hasn’t been assigned to many important games. It’s disappointing to see how his reputation has declined, but he still has a chance to redeem himself. As the second-best Italian referee after Maurizio Mariani, this type of match is a perfect opportunity for him to get back on track if he performs well.
NEWCASTLE UNITED FC (ENG) - SL BENFICA (POR)
Referee: Szymon Marciniak POL - Szymon continues to receive matches that suit his strengths, those played in heated and high pressure atmospheres. I have yet to see him officiate a calm, routine game, which shows how much trust the committee has in him as a guaranteed performer. He doesn’t always get the praise he deserves.
BAYER 04 LEVERKUSEN (GER) - PARIS SAINT GERMAIN FC (FRA)
Referee: Jesús Gil Manzano ESP - It seems the committee hopes to include Manzano in the upcoming World Cup, which may explain why he’s being given these so-called “important” matches. Don’t get me wrong he’s a very good referee, especially compared to some of his Spanish colleagues. This is a great opportunity for him to prove himself and perform well, because once Sánchez returns, comparisons between the two will certainly begin.
21:00 CET - Copenhagen (Parken - Connected by 3)
FC KØBENHAVN (DEN) - BORUSSIA DORTMUND (GER)
Referee: Danny Makkelie NED - It’s the same story every year with Danny Makkelie. He keeps receiving these types of matches, and the expectation is that he will perform well, but after that, we rarely hear much about him for the rest of the season, especially during the knockout stages. No matter how he performs, he always seems to get these mid level assignments. It raises questions about the committee’s plans, perhaps they’re waiting for a younger referee from the Netherlands to step up to replace him.
QAİRAT FK (KAZ) - PAFOS FC (CYP)
Referee: Christopher Kavanagh ENG - It’s understandable that Committee wants to give other English referees opportunities, but in my opinion, there are better officials from England than him, names such as Jarred Gillett and Rob Jones who I Rate their styles more highly than him but it’s fair that he’s earned these assignments after spending a few years gaining experience in the Europa League and Conference League.
Would have had the same opinion as you about Kavanagh, but whenever I watched him this year, he was solid. I think he's getting ahead of the others mentionned.
DeleteAs for Manzano, he keeps getting chances especially due to the poor form of the other referees, and he still has a shot probably for the WC.
Extremely surprised for Massa, he just had Roma-Inter, didn't make a lot of mistakes but interrupted heavily the flow of the game with too many whistles, it's a referee I don't particularly appreciate in his style of refereeing, but yeah, with Guida constantly injured, he might be the big rival to Mariani, and likely his last shot if he messes thing up.
In the game Getafe - Real Madrid the referee Jose Luis Munuera Montero showed a strong performance from my point of view. The red card as well as the second yellow were correct. I really liked his attitude and his approach. What do you think about it?
ReplyDeleteObservers appointed for MD4 CL
ReplyDeleteNapoli-Frankfurt
David Fernandez Borbalan (ESP)
Slavia Praha-Arsenal
Lucílio Batista (POR)
PSG-Bayern Munich
Vladimir Šajn (SVN)
Liverpool-Real Madrid
Viktor Kassai (HUN)
Tottenham-Copenhagen
Carlos Velasco Carballo (ESP)
Olympiakos-PSV
Levan Paniashvili (GEO)
Bodø Glimt-Monaco
Juan Antonio Fernandez Marin (ESP)
Qarabag-Chelsea
Stefan Johannesson (SWE)
Pafos-Villarreal
Tomasz Mikulski (POL)
Manchester City-Dortmund
Thomas Einwaller (AUT)
Inter Milan-Kairat Almaty
Alberto Undiano Mallenco (ESP)
Benfica-Leverkusen
Bjorn Kuipers (NED)
Brugge-Barcelona
Ante Vucemilovic (CRO)
Ajax-Galatasaray
Vladimir Petrov (UKR)
Marseille-Atalanta
Mehmet Murat Ilgaz (TUR)
Newcastle-Athletic
Vitor Melo Pereira (POR)
Missing Juventus-Sporting and Atletico-Union SG. Possible debuts with Velasco and Kuipers. Interesting Šajn in Paris, Cat.1 with chances to be promoted to Elite?
PSG-Bayern, my prediction is one of the U-20 referees.
DeleteAbout the penalty in Milan - Fiorentina, technically you can talk about arm to face and so careless foul (and this was the argument by VAR Abisso, I'm sure), but... absolutely unacceptable to give penalty here! The opponent used the situation. It is reported AIA assessed the intervention as mistake, we should know soon more. I will report. It's interesting to say that in the early times of VAR, Marinelli was a referee who hated the tool and he refused to change some decisions, now with the same approach, he should have refused the penalty call. It's true, this tool changed refereeing, we don't have people who decide on the pitch anymore, they just rely on what is shown on monitor to them... very sad...
ReplyDeleteSome observations:
ReplyDelete• Rosetti has been assigned to Barcelona at the last minute to follow Schnyder. This must be entirely related to the unfortunate Schaerer.
• Kavanagh is getting a lot of matches. The question is whether he can ultimately take Taylor’s spot in Elite—or will Brooks make a return?
• Massa is getting one of the better matches. Someone mentioned in the previous discussion that Massa and Guida might be “compensated.” But is that fair? You don’t make it to the World Cup and then get compensated with top matches in the UCL?
• Gozubuyuk is being closely monitored. He’s following a steady path. It’s curious, though, that he’s been paired with VAR Dieperink quite often lately.
• Siebert has been performing well recently. I’d even say he’s possibly outperforming Zwayer at the moment. An assignment with an Italian club shows confidence in him.
• Makkelie: He recently officiated an Italian club, Napoli-Sporting without any issues, so he’s not doing too badly, is he? Now with Van Boekel again, in Denmark… And a Dutch delegation. That’s noteworthy.
• Nyberg finally gets an Italian club, observed by Kyros Vassaras. That’s good news for the Swede. I think Nyberg is definitely a candidate for, say, the UECL or UEL final.
Marciniak not viewed in the best terms by Newcastle fans, after his award of the penalty in Paris a couple of seasons ago. Same VAR as well.
ReplyDeleteYou are definitely right, forgot about the episode .. Not gonna be a very liked appointment, and if he makes another mistake, it's gonna be a disaster.. Hoping the best for him
DeleteDoes anyone think that Germany can have two referees in the WC? With Zwayer and the in-form Siebert, that would definitely be deserved.
ReplyDeleteSiebert did not attend any FIFA tournament after WC2022 and attended the EURO just because it was in Germany, does he give good performances? Maybe, but I don't see him at all in WC2026... So I'm 99% sure that only Zwayer will go. And someone can say, but he attended the seminars, yes, but that indicates absolutely nothing.
DeleteFor now, the only countries that can/will have 2 referees are France and England.
And If we wanna talk about other confederations, Brazil and Argentina will have 2 referees as well.
DeleteI hope I'm wrong, but the way the Uruguay-Ghana match ended at the 2022 World Cup may have contributed to Siebert losing some confidence within FIFA. Not to mention that he wasn't nominated for this year's Club World Cup.
DeleteAnd the United States, Diego.
DeleteYou mentioned the unclear situation of Stieler. Well, I watched him often, but I never really understood his style. Esp. in heated matches he has a tendency to get nervous, losing his line and overreacting with an aggressive approach. I other matches he acted much better, his technical skills are good. But you never really know what you get by him and that's s. th. esp. Rosetti does not like.
ReplyDeleteI would not be surprised, if we see Jablonski being the nr. 1 in Germany after a logical promotion to Elite in 1 or 2 years. IMO he is the biggest German talent since long time!!!
After the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup, several UEFA referees have been observed by a *FIFA instructor* during UEFA competitions and World Cup qualifiers — a clear indication that these officials remain under close FIFA focus.
ReplyDeleteElite Referees Observed:
• Peljto (BIH)
• Taylor (ENG)
• Oliver (ENG)
• Gil Manzano (ESP)
• Hernández Hernández (ESP)
• Letexier (FRA)
• Zwayer (GER) – twice (!)
• Siebert (GER)
• Mariani (ITA)
• Jovanović (SRB)
• Nyberg (SWE)
• Umut Meler (TUR)
⸻
First Category
• Lambrechts (BEL)
• Krogh Hansen (DEN)
• Al-Emara (FIN)
• Jablonski (GER)
• Osmers (GER)
• Sozza (ITA)
• Rumšas (LTU)
• Van der Eijk (NED)
• Schnyder (SUI)
• Dabanovic (MNE)
⸻
Second Category
• Alberola Rojas (ESP)
• Stojčevski (MKD)
• Vergoote (BEL)
Observations and Takeaways
Delete• Early summer focus: Peljto and Mariani both had an observation shortly before the U-20 World Cup.
• English duo: Both Taylor and Oliver were observed — perhaps FIFA wanted a clearer picture before inviting two referees from the same country?
• Letexier’s case: likely a routine follow-up?
• Spain’s push: A notably high number of Spanish referees have been observed. The committee seems eager — even desperate — to add another Spanish name to the World Cup Squad. But is it deserved?
• Germany’s depth: Four German referees have been observed, with Zwayer twice — a rare case. Perhaps FIFA required confirmation given his relatively limited FIFA résumé compared to other CWC referees. Interestingly, Siebert is also observed on Matchday 3 — the same Siebert who once handled the Arab Cup final. Is the race between them still open? Siebert appears to be in fine form. Osmers failed under the eyes of a FIFA instructor in Ireland-Hungary.
• Youth prospects: Two U-17 World Cup referees, Vergoote and Van der Eijk, were also under observation.
• Swiss reshuffle: Schnyder has been under focus ever since Schärer’s injury.
All in all, FIFA’s attention remains strongly centered on referees from the top-5 UEFA nations — especially Italy, Spain, and Germany.
⸻
CWC Referees Without Observation:
• Marciniak, Vincic, Turpin – appear safe; they enjoy strong support within both FIFA and UEFA committees.
• Makkelie – if he’s viewed as a “borderline” case, an observation might still follow. Otherwise, FIFA may have already made its decision.
• Eskas – still a question mark, but he’ll have another opportunity to impress during the Arab Cup.
• Kovács – despite a disappointing Club World Cup, FIFA handed him an appointment for the Intercontinental Cup — likely sufficient to seal his spot?
Perhaps worth noting that the four referees without any observation (Marciniak, Vincic, Turpin and Makkelie) are precisely those who already featured at the 2022 World Cup.
DeleteSiebert was also in Qatar, but with a compatriot now seemingly ahead of him, his situation looks a bit more delicate. Meanwhile, Oliver and Taylor, both from England, have long been neck and neck in terms of standing and reputation. It’s only logical that FIFA keeps a particularly close eye on both.
Clear red given on-field by Kavanagh 4 minutes in. Really dangerous high challenge
ReplyDeletehttps://streamin.me/v/6bf5a271
DeleteShocking challenge, that's more than a red card honestly.
Very good by English referee, but surely giving YC here would have been a scandal, sorry to say.
Very good Kavanagh in the 1H. Very focused and in full control. I think he can finally make it to the Elite. He was very good last season and it seems he keeps the good form this season.
DeleteI think kavanagh and banks(former FIFA) are probably the most improved pl referees since Webb appointment
DeleteFirst time watching Schnyder and I've been impressed in the most part. Here are my observations:
ReplyDelete22' caution for BAR #3 , reckless use of the arm/elbow. Correct YC, but interesting management just to tell the BAR captain to "go away" and the hand up onwards motioning to stop . For me lacked any personable skills in that situation. Followed the same approach (hands out only) in 27' with a free kick flagged correctly by AR1.
35' caution for OLY #32, again correct caution but lacking any sort of personable approach again.
BAR #16 very fortunate not to be cautioned for dissent on 36' and 38'. On the lower scale of dissent but twice in a few minutes I'd have expected a quiet word but nothing from Mr Schnyder.
This referee has excellent proactive positioning which means he rarely has to use a sprint. His fitness can't be questioned but at times I'd like to see him enter the penalty area and get slightly wider especially for those tight and difficult instances that can occur.
Certainly based on the first half, technically he has the makings of an elite referee but one would like to see improve with his communication and body language at points and I enhance his range of dynamic positioning to help him elevate to the next level.
And to add the advantage played for BAR first goal was a good one and a caution after the BAR second goal which wasn't picked up by my TV provider and therefore cannot comment on.
DeleteAlso good advantage goal and delayed caution in 39'
DeleteThanks unfortunately the TV director didn't highlight or show the caution so wasn't certain, in that case, very good work from Schnyder
DeleteAnd now penalty and goal was disallowed.
ReplyDeleteCause offside was when the goal was scored.
But before that ,handball by Garcia.
So great intervention by Bebek.
What offside ? Player without playing the ball ? And isn’t a YC for this handball which denied a clear goal opportunity ?
DeleteYou saw the replay right?You saw lines that Uefa pulled right?
DeleteAnd yc,you know refs are lenient and have new guidelines.
The Olympiakos Player touched the ball after it hit the arm of the Barcelona defender, I think very hard to spot for referee and assistant (even on the TV images at first for me) and therefore great spot by San. RC for handball in the penalty area only if it was clearly intentional, which would be very hard to assume here, additonally, it is always really difficult to met the criteria for control of the ball for high balls like this. So I would even prefer no card.
DeleteWhat's happening in Barcelona?
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely terrible decision there, absolutely nothing, that's quite insane imo
ReplyDeleteDisastrous refereeing in the Barça-Olympiakos match. No red card for Barcelona, but a completely absurd red card for Olympiakos.
DeleteGreat first half by Schnyder, but now it's becoming a disaster, wrong 2nd YC..
ReplyDeleteSorry but no no no. Clear dive and wrong decision by Schneider. 2nd YC for nothing and what a pity to not use VAR here. Two decisions and opposite card management which destroyed swiss ref. Not ready for Elite category.
ReplyDeleteWrong second YC by Swiss referee.
ReplyDeleteSecond half very challenging for him, but if you add the VAR intervention for disallowing the goal, giving the penalty, and then this second YC decision, well, you have already enough to describe the performance not at lavel.
Rosetti rather disappointed on the stands of Lluís Companys... he surely couldn't expect that after first half.
And before that wrong YC for Podence. Terrible 15 minutes in 2nd half.
DeleteChefren. What do you think about this Offside decision to cancel goal. Is the Olympiakos player really punishable here ? For me, not at all. And YC mising furthermore…
DeleteSorry I rewatched the incident about offside, but the management is not clear, since the player in offside didn't touch ball, this should have been assessed by referee before, I thought about a touch by another attacker in the middle, but it doesn't seem so, so only handball happened? Hopefully Bebek was right there, will check soon UEFA official explanation...
ReplyDeleteThey put that he was offside so probably that’s what happened
DeleteIsn't Podence the one that is being punished for offside? Directly after the handball the ball touches OLY9:s head and then goes to Podence who because of that touch is offside.
DeleteThe attacker touched the ball after it was deflected by the arm of Barcelona defender. Offside is correct. Contact was very hard to spot, it needed me like 4 replays after I knew to search for it, therefore very good call by VAR San.
DeleteDisagree. Handball is punishable so no importance after to have a deflection or not ! Sorry…don’t understand your Logic here.
DeletePlay was continuing after the handball and Olympiakos scored, the goal was ruled out for offside, as Nr 9 touched the ball after it deflected off the arm of the defender. The ball then going to another Olympiakos player, which had been offside when Nr 9 touched the ball. Just justifying the offside call by VAR not the handball.
DeleteWell my first half analysis looks horrendously out of date now.
ReplyDeleteHe was great in first half honestly
DeleteSchnyder's incredible yellow/red cards in Barcelona. Overly motivated, will surely be a setback in his career
ReplyDeleteWell, now OFR in 65', but one should have liked the field decision. Attacker kicking ball and going to make contact. Unfortunately for modern times, seen as penalty.
ReplyDeleteBarcelona players at their best to deceive a rather unexperienced referee at this level! OK, they would have done that with all referees, but...
That shouldn’t be VAR business to intervene.. On field decision should have stood imo
DeleteI am starting to feel sorry for Schnyder here, this has turned into a complete disaster this second half, full thoughts to follow at full time.
ReplyDeleteWooooow this is just incredible! That was clear dive, never penalty! And Bebek reacted… Never VAR stuff for me. And never PK. This is going from bad to worse every second.
ReplyDeleteWell. No penalty. No dive. No explanation. Ridiculisous. PK or YC to Rashford. And finally, PK very very soft and again very harsh call against Greek team. This referee doesn’t merit to be here. A pity.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
ReplyDeleteLet’s not call it cheating, but rough night for Schnyder..
DeleteFirst Time to see Schnyder. He isn’t an half of Scharer. No charisma. No braveness. Bye bye to be Elite mister…
ReplyDeleteOf course he isn’t a half of Schärer, because he IS NOT Schärer. Comparisons are hateful and unnecessary (applies to any referee).
DeleteI don’t like this style of commenting which seems an unnecessary, cynical, personal attack. I think we can agree that Schnyder’s performance doesn’t meet the expected level, but you seem to enjoy it.
DeleteApart from that your tone is 200% different compared to when specific French referees are involved…..
This is the most worst refereeing performance I have ever seen
ReplyDeleteI believe you all know me I never speak from a club's point of view when I comment on a referee's performance. But unfortunately, I have to say that today Rosetti chose the wrong match to appoint the Swiss referee, who in my opinion was not ready to handle such a game. Especially considering that he has often been out of favor in the past and hasn't had alinear career path like others. The result for Olympiacos would probably have been the same anyway, but it must be said very clearly that, unfortunately, some decisions had a significant impact in favor of the final result for home side.
ReplyDeleteI'm particularly disappointed about the second yellow card, but unfortunately, these are the kinds of theatre by them we often see. A firmer hand would be needed. Then there's the penalty, which sadly belongs to modern football. I would never award those, but according to some referees and from their point of view, if there's contact, it's a penalty. Moreover, the fact that sometimes it's given and other times the on-field decision is accepted shows that the committee hasn't provided very clear guidelines. So, it's really a pity. I think it will be difficult for the Swiss referee to move forward after Rosetti's today assessment, in any case.
According to my information San is VAR and not Bebel
ReplyDeleteTerrible scenario now for schynder and the tv director that shows him straight after Barcelona goal is quite hard to see tbh
ReplyDeleteThese are the referees who gave them a chance to referee champions league and other good referees they are being deliberately deprived what a great injustice
ReplyDeleteLike Portugese referees?
DeleteAppointments say San is VAR in Barcelona, Bebek AVAR, or there was a switch?
ReplyDeleteSecond Half:
ReplyDelete51' VAR intervention for OLY after OLY scored. VAR ruled out goal for offside, have not seen replay to confirm, however handball by the BAR player in the build up prompted the review and a correct penalty was awarded. Referee should have seen the handball in real time, I go back to my point in the first half about positioning in and around the penalty area. Excellent work from VAR to fix the mess.
56' Correct caution for OLY #56 for clear pulling.
57' 2nd YC for OLY #32 for a hand to the face. For me this an incorrect YC given the fact the BAR does have a hold of the OLY players shirt. I struggle to look for a reason to support it and afraid this is a poor decision.
65' Another poor decision this time from VAR to refer the penalty. Not a foul for me, player kicks the ball away quite considerably and then runs into GK and buys the contact, and Schnyder looked very weak and has given it, unfortunately I think the last 20 minutes has impacted this referee. If that is a penalty going forward, I would expect teams to exploit this in games with "less experienced" referees and VAR's to their advantage.
85' Correct rejection of BAR pen appeal, good sprint to get close to analyse the contact correctly.
Summary:
Unfortunately all the good work of the first half has been undone in quite frankly 20 minutes of madness which is a shame but this is a performance that almost certainly will be rejected by Rosetti.
Lacked any personable quality throughout, lacked any ability to run into the penalty area and get wide, technically in the second half was very below the expected standard and unfortunately I'd struggle to be supportive of pushing this referee.
One bad game doesn't make or break a referee usually but unfortunately this referee was lacking significantly in a few areas and compared to his colleagues from other associations there are more deserving candidates out there and frankly they should be offered the opportunity to prove themselves.
https://law5-theref.blogspot.com/2025/09/fifa-under-20-world-cup-chile-2025.html?showComment=1759601654817#c2214280202840133247
ReplyDeleteWith all respect, the venn diagram 'I understand football refereeing' and 'I watched Urs Schnyder in multiple games and think he is a good referee' is just two seperate circles. Of course, everyone can have a bad day, but such a disaster by this Swiss official is far, far from unexpected (one can worry about Pajac tomorrow too). 'Looking professional' is NOT enough to be elevated to refereeing CL games, and I think that point has been underlined today. Meanwhile: very happy to read Euro Soccer Ref's comments about Kavanagh (hopefully good in the 2H?). Since he returned from his long-term injury, he disabused his previously ultra-passive style, and became a very reliable and steady referee. I'm very happy to totally renounce some (excessive and very unfair) comments in the past. Respect, sir.
AR1 Cook missed an offside that led to a Pafos goal. No issues for Kavanagh himself as far I could tell.
DeleteVAR protocol must be changed. If a referee gives a player a second yellow card it should be possible to review it when it’s incorrect. This second yellow was without any doubt 100% wrong.
ReplyDeleteThey'll say it's not an obvious and clear error, and that the VAR can't intervene. nothing will change.
DeleteStrong offside decision by AR 1 Seidel in Eindhoven. Well spotted
ReplyDeleteVery unconvinced by the penalty given to Leverkusen. Perhaps not enough to overturn but it seems unbelievably harsh
ReplyDeleteA very strict Massa in London. I'm not convinced either side is enjoying it. A simple enough but correct offside by AR1 to disallow an Arsenal goal
ReplyDeleteGood VAR intervention in Leverkusen to upgrade YC to RC for serious foul play. And straight RC and penalty good spotted by Manzano directly. Agree with Ecosse from first penalty : IMO no penalty here, at least very harsh.
ReplyDeleteAnd also good no foul decision before 1-3. At least, very good first half by spanish crew except of RC corrected by VAR del Cerro Grande.
DeleteIt was not SFP. It was violent conduct. He wasn't try to play a ball.
DeleteMy mistake. VC.
DeleteVery busy first half for Manzano.
ReplyDeleteSimeone as usual blatantly outside the technical area to protest amd demamd fouls or cards. Nothing done about it.
ReplyDeleteIn a little while another English fan will bother him by throwing popcorn at his head. lol
DeleteIn a little while another English fan will bother him by throwing popcorn at his head. lol
DeleteNot convinced Arteta is any better
DeleteI've enjoyed the first half offered up by Massa. Authoritive and good management throughout in what was always going to be a difficult tie to manage. Technically not perfect but a good showing and has been trying to manage the handbags at set pieces but both teams are making it difficult for him.
ReplyDeleteMy thoughts below:
6' Missed YC for ARS player for blocking/SPA. Pretty clear cut YC for Massa not to give, player making attacking run and defender deliberately blocks him off.
34' Correct YC for ATH #2 for SPA, good spot however a tad inconsistent as I refer back to 6' where one was missed.
37' Good but straightforward offside call by AR1 to disallow ARS goal.
38' Very good spot for YC to ARS player for a difficult to spot pull also holding but the pull was the higher tariff offence.
Here RC after OFR by Gil Manzano: https://streambug.org/cv/4329cb
ReplyDeleteAnd the RC for DOGSO. https://streambug.org/cv/5f0a58
DeleteWhat about the holding by attacker? This is the only argument you can discuss, but otherwise very clear foul by defender.
For me that's not a penalty.
DeleteBig patience and great advantage given by Nyberg prior to Inter 2nd goal! Good half for the swedish!
ReplyDeleteNyberg's third game in this season's league, and so far, he's been desperate. No controversial plays. And that's what UEFA wants
Deleteagree with nerazzuri, great patience by Nyberg
DeleteAbout Barcelona - Olympiacos, UEFA explanations:
ReplyDelete53' Decision overturned: Penalty awarded
Olympiacos' goal disallowed by offside. Before, Barcelona's player, No24, touched the ball with his right arm which was in an unnatural position.
68' Decision overturned: Penalty awarded
Olympiacos' player, No88, tripped an opponent while attempting to play the ball.
So, all correct before penalty for handball. It was an offside goal, touch by the other attacker.
Good first half by Siebert in Eindhoven. As always very harsh disciplinary concept but that’s just how we know him. Good advantage prior to goal scored in 38’ and an EXCELLENT offside in 18‘ to cancel a goal by AR1 Seidel.
ReplyDeleteBig mistake imo by Massa, he gives a foul for the wrong team then a goal was scored with this situation.
ReplyDeleteFor me the foul is committed by the defenders leg onto the back of the attackers leg
DeleteI agree with crn, the foul was first made by the forward. Should have been a free kick for the spanish side
DeleteHandball penalty, after OFR, by Nyberg.
ReplyDeletehttps://streamin.me/v/caea7720
Classic situation in which you miss the handball because you think header.
A naked eye is difficult to judge with clear vision, but from another angle, one can see that an infraction has actually occurred.
DeleteIt was very difficult to see, watching the game and didn’t see it at all
DeleteMinute 69. Makkelie stopped play to give a yellow card to a manager for dissent. He restarted play with a dropped ball. This can not be correct. Has to be an indirect free kick on the closest point on the boundary line to where the dissent occurred. Or please show me why it wouldn’t be so.
ReplyDeleteclear penalty for copenhagen missed by Danny makkelie
ReplyDeleteNo, got a little touch on the ball first. Hard to see doe. Took me a couple of replays and some pause and play
DeleteWrong, never a PK
DeleteRc by Siebert for a crazy gesture by Napoli #27 Curious
ReplyDeleteI do not believe any other referee than Siebert would give a RC for that. I think many would completely ignore it, but I'd like a YC for dissent by action, nothing more
DeleteIf you do that to a referee it’s obviously an ofensive gesture. It means the referee has no brain.
DeleteFor me a correct RC
DeleteReminds me of Orlando Engelaar playing in Bundesliga maling a gesture to the assistant referee https://www.kicker.de/ein-spiel-fuer-engelaar-384881/artikel#google_vignette
DeleteNot sure about the global context but in Germany this gesture is clearly an insult meaning something like "You're stupid". With VAR it's become a rarety but a straight red is usually accepted.
DeleteSiebert is such a refreshing referee to see.
ReplyDeleteNo nonsense,everything by the book and in a world where lenient refs are trending,it's nice to see this old school type of ref.
https://streambug.org/cv/10c00f
DeleteIs it just me that never can see the streambug-links?
DeleteYes, but in terms of World Cup preparations, FIFA seems to be leaning more toward Zwayer than Siebert. Collina apparently doesn't forgive Siebert for the way Uruguay-Ghana ended in 2022.
DeleteAccording to articles, after the end of the game, Rosetti was very angry with Schnyder in dressing room
ReplyDeleteHe must also be angry on himself with his wrong choice
DeleteI guess that his boss must also be angry that his favourite team lost 6-1.
DeleteThat’s true leadership! After a (very) disappointing performance getting angry will definitely help Schnyder to recover and become a better referee. People management and leadership in this RefCom is from the Ice Age, has little to do with modern leadership. And as stated before, it’s Rosetti and his committee who made this appointment in the first place.
DeleteYou can say that Siebert was right and the player tried to justify himself in all the possible ways, but this kind of management is what created troubles in past to German referee. One should wonder why these situations never happen to other referees. Said that I agree with red card, maybe better management before was possible?
ReplyDeleteIt's not just him,most German refs that have this type of approach have had troubles with temperamental teams,but Siebert mostly.
DeleteWe all remember Uruguay-Ghana,but there are other examples like Atletico-City,or Napoli-Granada.
Brych also had troubles with those temperamental teams.
Maybe It's their cold and by the book approach.
But still,I love his style and wish more refs were like him.
Curios, what could he have done differently? He is close to the situation, makes a quick decision and directly shows why he has blown (shows with gesture that it is for a shirt pulling). Also looks very calm but nevertheless distinct and clear.
DeleteHappy to report a good if not straightforward performance from Massa in London.
ReplyDeleteFirst half, he adopted the strict, authoritative approach and it paid off. The second half he has strolled through and he and his team can be happy with their performance. Nothing major to report from the second half, only the free kick decision for the first goal which for me was correct.
I know there are many games ahead, including tomorrow's, but in your opinion, which of the judges has performed well in these first three rounds?
ReplyDeleteNyberg probably there, also surprisingly ( at least for me ) Kavanagh was fine. And the classical referees being Marciniak, Letexier, Turpin ..
DeleteCan’t say the others cause haven’t watched all the games
My favorite referee is Letexier. Every referee should study his positioning.
DeleteNyberg is doing very well. I really like his leadership on the pitch. I hope he gets a slightly more challenging test. It will also be interesting to see the Swede (and his style) in the Arab Cup.
Siebert looks revitalized. I can relate to M’s words — that no-nonsense approach is refreshing.
Makkelie is one of the few refs without any VAR overturns this season, and to be fair, he’s had quite a few KMIs to assess.
I think the same thing. Nyberg has been attracting attention for being under the radar in the three games so far. There have been no controversial or questionable plays. If the Swede maintains this consistency, there's a chance he'll be in the final this time around.
DeleteHighlights of Kavanagh in Qairat FK vs. Pafos FC
ReplyDeletehttps://files.fm/u/hfbdds7azj
I say this as an English person but I do think kavanagh reminds me a bit like Vinčić (bear with me for a second) he seems to have the remarkable ability to get through matches without incident/ controversy. I do think that is why he may not have been picked up by people on this blog as much. On the few big controversial incidents he has been caught up in he has been 100% right with his decisions Manchester United v Fulham (fa cup) or declan rice red card for arsenal.
DeleteI just wonder could he potentially get promoted to elite sooner rather than later.
NOW I DO THINK THAT THERE ARE OTHERS AHEAD IF HIM
But if you look he has already had 2 appointments this season .and I know it's early but of the 10 referees who debuted in the champions League last year he's one of three who have gotten appointments this season
yeah he has been good in both appointments, it's not a referee that impresses me, but he is going through with no incidents at all.
DeleteOverall, seems that it was a fine performance overall for this day ( except Schnyder, very sorry for him). Let's hope we get a good day tomorrow as well.
ReplyDeleteWill be closely following Vincic and Pajac tomorrow, as I already watched Oliver multiple times this season.
OT: Penalty whistled in the field + after the OFR by Carlos Andres Betancur (COL) in sudamericana
ReplyDeletehttps://x.com/hemsdob/status/1980797344044970348?t=VOgL_lw6q1TweUq2eb6WbA&s=19
Marciniak had two penalty shouts in Newcastle | https://kappa.lol/YZg7Qn | What do you guys think? I feel like the first one could have been given with another ref/VAR. Ended up not mattering since Newcastle scored immediately after and won the game.
ReplyDeleteThe link doesn't work, can you report the minutes of the two penalty area incidents?
Delete68' and 81'
Deletehttps://www.streambug.io/cv/0b1262
DeleteFirst one the newcastle player is holding off the defender initially so to claim a holding penalty was a little over the top.
DeleteSecond one is probably as a result of Gordon's reputation of going down easily, even though there was contact. Certainly in the "seen them given" and VAR would not have overturned. In an effort to be decisive the restart was incorrect, actually came off the defender last although that was hard to see
If one can excuse Gil Manzano and Nyberg for the OFRs they made (hard to detect the handall for the Swedish and very challenging first half for the Spanish, who had already given YC for that action ), well, indeed the only very negative point of this set has been the Swiss officiating in Barcelona. Unfortunately, this was the refereeing "highlight" of the day, and it went wrong.
ReplyDeleteWhat do you think about first penalty in Leverkusen? It looks like the defender is falling and trying to keep the hand away
Delete