2025-26 UEFA Europa League, referee appointments for the first legs of quarterfinals, to be played on 8 and 9 April 2026.
Wednesday 8 April 2026
18:45 CET - Braga (Estádio Municipal de Braga)
SC BRAGA (POR) - REAL BETIS BALOMPIÉ (ESP)
Referee: Felix Zwayer GER
Assistant Referee 1: Robert Kempter GER
Assistant Referee 2: Dominik Schaal GER
Fourth Official: Florian Badstübner GER
Video Assistant Referee: Robert Schröder GER
Assistant Video Assistant Referee: Pascal Müller GER
UEFA Referee Observer: Sokol Jareci ALB
Assistant Referee 2: Dominik Schaal GER
Fourth Official: Florian Badstübner GER
Video Assistant Referee: Robert Schröder GER
Assistant Video Assistant Referee: Pascal Müller GER
UEFA Referee Observer: Sokol Jareci ALB
Thursday 9 April 2026
21:00 CET - Freiburg (Europa-Park Stadion)
SC FREIBURG (GER) - RC CELTA DE VIGO (ESP)
Referee: Glenn Nyberg SWE
Assistant Referee 1: Mahbod Beigi SWE
Assistant Referee 2: Andreas Söderkvist SWE
Fourth Official: Adam Ladebäck SWE
Video Assistant Referee: Ivan Bebek CRO
Assistant Video Assistant Referee: Tomasz Kwiatkowski POL
UEFA Referee Observer: Edward Foley IRL
Assistant Referee 2: Andreas Söderkvist SWE
Fourth Official: Adam Ladebäck SWE
Video Assistant Referee: Ivan Bebek CRO
Assistant Video Assistant Referee: Tomasz Kwiatkowski POL
UEFA Referee Observer: Edward Foley IRL
21:00 CET - Bologna (Stadio Renato Dall'Ara)
BOLOGNA FC 1909 (ITA) - ASTON VILLA FC (ENG)
Referee: Sandro Schärer SUI
Assistant Referee 1: Stéphane De Almeida SUI
Assistant Referee 2: Jonas Erni SUI
Fourth Official: Anojen Kanagasingam SUI
Video Assistant Referee: Fedayi San SUI
Assistant Video Assistant Referee: Lukas Fähndrich SUI
Assistant Referee 1: Stéphane De Almeida SUI
Assistant Referee 2: Jonas Erni SUI
Fourth Official: Anojen Kanagasingam SUI
Video Assistant Referee: Fedayi San SUI
Assistant Video Assistant Referee: Lukas Fähndrich SUI
UEFA Referee Observer: Carlos Velasco Carballo ESP
21:00 CET - Porto (Estádio do Dragão)
FC PORTO (POR) - NOTTINGHAM FOREST FC (ENG)
Referee: Marco Guida ITA
Assistant Referee 1: Giorgio Peretti ITA
Assistant Referee 2: Giuseppe Perrotti ITA
Fourth Official: Matteo Marcenaro ITA
Video Assistant Referee: Daniele Chiffi ITA
Assistant Video Assistant Referee: Michael Fabbri ITA
UEFA Referee Observer: Lassin Isaksen FRO
Assistant Referee 2: Giuseppe Perrotti ITA
Fourth Official: Matteo Marcenaro ITA
Video Assistant Referee: Daniele Chiffi ITA
Assistant Video Assistant Referee: Michael Fabbri ITA
UEFA Referee Observer: Lassin Isaksen FRO
Meanwhile, heated matches in Greece (playoffs) were very well officiated by the teams of Damian Sylwestrzak (PAOK - Panathinaikos) and Tobias Stieler (Olympiacos - AEK). Difficult matches, a lively atmosphere on the pitch and in the stands, no controversy, and everyone was satisfied with the standard of officiating. Congratulations to Damian and Tobias.
ReplyDeleteEredivisie:
ReplyDeleteSC Telstar - FC Groningen
No handball (no penalty) decision
https://youtu.be/jX5RBaYWyTo?t=436
Even now, I still don't understand what criteria Dutch referees use to determine whether it's a handball or not.
This is not a deliberate play, but a block, so it's a handball offence, right?
The problem is about handball, once again. We will always discuss same issues. As you said, here there is a punishable attitude by defender with open arms in that way. The previous deflection by leg shouldn't be considered as relevant, otherwise it would be allowed for defenders to keep arms in that position, to block a shot.
DeleteI'm really disappointed by how there isn't consistency at all, I think in this case the read of referee and VAR was indeed that because of first deflection, handball is not punishable anymore, but it's wrong interpretation.
Thanks for your feedback, Chefren.
DeleteIf they were struggling with whether this was an deliberate play or not, I'd be truly disappointed. Because I don't think it's difficult at all...
Dutch referees hardly ever appear in front of the cameras anymore, KNVB makes no effort whatsoever to explain rules and decisions, and then commentators, players, coaches, and fans all seem to believe that this handball wasn't punished because the ball hit the leg first.
Thanks Chefren, but when should the deflection criteria be used if not in a situation like this one then? Doesn't that criteria become useless if you should base your decision on natural/unnatural position, even when there is a deflection?
DeleteSituation from Austrian Bundesliga last weekend. What do you think of the DOGSO red card + free kick here?
ReplyDeletehttps://streamable.com/9sxlqe
Correct decision IMO
DeleteNyberg, Scharer and Guida with Zwayer for UEL.
ReplyDeleteBastien, Walsh, Rumsas and Obrenovic for UECL.
ReplyDeleteRegular assignment for Guida, we can expect Gozuyubuk in second legs of Europa League, I think, to follow the path of the appointments we saw for both on previous CL round.
ReplyDeleteHaving already said about Zwayer, it's surely interesting to see Schaerer with Velasco. The Spanish will check carefully the status of the Swiss, he would still be candidate for EL final this season (on paper, then he was out as we know for very long time). But I think before that, it's important to know more about his form.
And then we have Nyberg: the Swedish referee made too many OFRs in recent times, I still see him missing in something for a very top level, but we wil see. Don't know if he was chances to get a CL game after this one, rather very difficult, given the other names who should be listed before him at moment.
And let's highlight, Tomasz Kwiatkowski is back after the famous Juventus - Galatasaray: he will not work as main VAR, only AVAR with Bebek VAR. Knowing that he is considered a top name or at least a "main" one in UEFA VAR's circle, well, to me assessment is clear (no Pinheiro so far).
Can you expect for him in the second legs
DeleteWhat refereeing errors did Nyberg make? Because I don't recall any serious controversy involving him.
DeleteMay be Liverpool vs psg in second leg
ReplyDeleteWhy are you so obsessed with Pinheiro...?
DeleteI think it's impossible for him to get another game in CL, a chance for EL, but more likely for me Conference League it depends on how much responsibility Rosetti gave him for the mistake in Turin.
DeleteI think it is impossible for him to get in conference league i think he get champions league or Europe league or no get any match at all
DeleteI am not understand until now the mistake that pinheiro made the game between juventus and galatasaray
ReplyDeleteGood for you
DeleteGuida is quite unexpected after his very unconvincing last game. But being an Italian helps a lot...
ReplyDeleteI 100% agree
DeleteReaders should know that Tevinjm^, professionalism, Unknown and others are also offending accounts. Writing comments on six+ different accounts is, indeed, cancerous behaviour. Don't you feel bad for ruining the discussion for self-validation? Isn't the anxiousness you feel before posting to check you haven't messed up (which you will again soon and receipts will be kept!) not really worth it? Behaving as you did yesterday, ruining what was being said just to try and get at me, can't make you feel good about yourself as a person? People like you exist in all hobbyist spaces and are parasites who should be removed. For the sake of posterity and record, I will repost my original comment here:
DeleteAnonymous, you have poked the bear one time too many. I genuinely cannot comprehend being so rude as to say things like "propaganda" beneath what I wrote! I am not asking for a medal for the long texts that I composed, but a bare minimum should be a modicum of respect from the blog users (and I'm very grateful for the kind words that other people wrote beneath this and other texts). So, the toll must be paid.
You have offered lots of comment recently on my contributions to the blog. It seems fair then for me to repay the compliment. Your contribution to the blog, excessively significant only due to being a good English speaker, has been a solely cancerous one. The level of discussion would increase exponentially if you went away for good. The multiple accounts, the conspiracy theories, the lack of analysis, the AI-written texts, the hero worship - people reading have no idea the extent to which the widely-acknowledged decline of the blog actually has one sole author, which is you.
So people know what I’m talking about: under the UEFA playoff semifinals post, you replied to one of your accounts (Anonymous) pretending to be another one (Referee analyst) without having logged out. You were pretending to be a semi-literate Frenchman, whose alias continues on the blog to this day. Because in your blind panic you closed the offending blogger account without having deleted the comments, the exchange remains under RefNewGen’s predictions on the page for anyone interested to see this. Even according to basic self-preservation, I cannot understand why you would continue to provoke somebody who knew about this.
You are invested in trying to manipulate the Law5 conversation so much, that you wrote praise for Letexier under ‘Referee analyst’ (it all made sense when I remembered that Ziggo had the last AFCON!) during Barcelona-Newcastle and then criticised that praise under your different accounts. Many conversations were had just between yourself! I am counting the number of accounts who are extremely likely to have been you during last night’s CL games, and it doesn’t make for pretty reading. This is not healthy or sane behaviour.
To add to the impression of being an unstable person, here is a short resume of some ‘theories’ you treated the Law5 readers to in your various guises:
- that UEFA competition draws were being rigged in order to help Daniele Orsato
- that Clement Turpin had been prepared for years by Arsene Wenger to referee the last WC final
- that a quota system should be implemented to reward referees who are not heterosexual
This is crackpot stuff which has no place on a serious forum. The majority of your comments are orientated around this because your ability to analyse refereeing incidents and performances is risible. We are very fortunate in that many comments here come from significant experience or expertise, but I would be surprised if you would even qualify to be an assessor at semi-professional football in real life in terms of competence. Your role has been to aggregate the comments among the people who do know what they are talking about - when you tried to take the lead on these topics, the result was rather bad.
You have no idea how frustrating it is to be called biased by a) someone who is getting their texts written for them by an LLM, and, b) someone who themselves is actually comically biased.
You are apparently an uncomplicated person - there is the morally GOOD (Danny Makkelie), and then the morally BAD, which is anyone who stands in his way. At the start of your perpetually-irritating contributions to the blog, the bad was represented by Clement Turpin, who robbed Makkelie of everything he deserved in your opinion. I am not repeating my opinion on this matter for the umpeteenth time. Now, Turpin’s stock has risen on Law5, and unable to formulate any view on your own, you now consider that Turpin can be tolerated. More recently, you have moved to hating Francois Letexier - hence, the embarrasing deluge of comments on Barcelona-Newcastle. The very funny thing is that an article is in the works on my side about the ‘Letexier phenomenon’ (offering some narrative breaks from what is written on here), but in your myopia, you are convinced that I have secret agendas: the irony, apparently, lost on you.
DeleteThe great sadness of this is that Makkelie, by the way (a good and professional man whom I respect very much and wish well), is not helped at all by your comments here. The lack of self-awareness not to realise this is incredible! By responding in a pages and pages long analysis about all of the WC-preselected referees, by only querying what I wrote about him, how do you think that makes him and the ‘Makkelie topic’ look? Calm, relaxed, trustworthy? In so far as this blog has any sway whatsoever on decisions made by UEFA and FIFA, your contributions will have had the opposite effect to what you wish and it is crazy that you cannot see that. It is bordering on Mark David Chapman-level, and I’m sorry for the Dutch referee that he has the ‘honour’ of having a fanatic like this writing here.
This blog is a blog, and not the UEFA Referees Committee. But because you are the cancerous kind of person in a forum who is not interested in analysis or even contributing, but only care about status as a form of self-validation, it is clear you take even small comments here as being very serious or important. Truthfully, it doesn’t matter what I think! But it does matter to me that someone has repeatedly implied that I am untruthful or dishonest, and the origin of this whole comment is that insinuation. Because you perceive me, unfairly, to be BAD (and against the GOOD Makkelie), you view any means necessary to write that I am a fan of referee x or y. Seemingly, and this also works as a wider metaphor for society, you have no concept of honour or fairness, and that someone might be a fan of REFEREEING, not A REFEREE.
People can feel, without even being able to put words to it, that something on the blog has not been quite ‘right’ in recent years (outside of major tournaments I mean). For the people that read this text, I hope it can make sense of it. This comment would not have been necessary if you hadn’t repeatedly, unnecessarily questioned my integrity - given your own behaviour, I hope the readers can appreciate why this is so irksome to me and required being explicitly called out.
From the perspective of a blog admin, I would repeat that the level of discussion would infinitely improve without your contributions to it. And finally, from a personal perspective, I would be very happy indeed to never have to read your AI-constructed, frivolous comments again.
@Mikael W
ReplyDeleteWill you create a new blog as 2010, 2006 and so on for the 2014 World Cup? Or the 1982 for example. It would be amazing.
The 1990 is no longer available by the way.
Thank you very much for your time!
Hi! WC1990 is still active, link is here:
Deletewc90ref.blogspot.com
About future tournaments: having done Euro 1996, I think the next big competition will be Euro 2000, ideally in the autumn of this year. I would like to squeeze in a small blog on the 1999 Confederations Cup before the upcoming WC, time-dependent of course. I would really like to do WC1982, but I need to organise a lot of versions in my collection first. Thanks as ever for your interest! 🤝
Thanks a lot! There is any link or website where all links of the blogs can be found?
DeleteAll of the WC blogs can be found by changing the two years (86, 94, 98, 02, 06, 10) in the above link and adding an 's' after ref. The other blogs I've done are here:
Deletehttps://euro92ref.blogspot.com
https://euro96ref.blogspot.com
https://mikaelreferee.blogspot.com/p/confed03.html
https://mikaelreferee.blogspot.com/p/ca2011.html
I’m also surprised Nyberg got two consecutive UEL appointments. Good games for Zwayer and Schärer.
ReplyDeleteIn 11th minute BET#14 sanctioned with a YC after a rather excessive, late and two-footed tackle on his opponent. I think he can’t complain being able to continue being on the pitch.
ReplyDeleteI think the only thing that saved him was the that contact was not huge. The tackle looked ugly though
DeleteRewatching the tackle it appears BET#14 completely ignores the ball, jumping passed the ball and only towards his opponent. This should actually have resulted in a sending off IMHO.
DeleteNow, in 60th minute, penalty awarded to Betis after a late tackle by BRA#29 and YC to the offender for DOGSO in attempt to play the ball. Correctly solved by the German ref.
Delete67th minute: reckless tackle by BET#4 on midfield, very good advantage played by Zwayer, Braga claiming a handball penalty - I think correctly denied - and in the end a deserved delayed YC for BET#4.
DeleteIn the advantage maybe an (extremely) tight offside overseen by AR1, who was focusing on the reckless tackle and lost sight on the second-to-last defender.
I think the German team can be happy with today’s performance. In a quite challenging match Zwayer kept good control and was accepted well, good rapport with players.
DeleteOnly debatable decision would be the 11th minute YC, which for me should be a RC but for UEFA probably still an acceptable caution.
Yeah I agree 🥰
DeletePlease find below the clips.
ReplyDelete11' YC for reckless, possible RC for SFP
https://streambug.org/cv/f4496b
For me better RC, maybe not a clear and obvious mistake, but I detect a rather excessive force and both legs into the challenge...the minute in the game didn't help Zwayer in taking a different decision.
60' Penalty call
https://streambug.org/cv/1407fa
Very clear and correct (expected decision) by referee.
67' Management and penalty area incident for handball
https://streambug.org/cv/373904
Here the advantage is surely a very good skill by an Elite referee because big focus on the foul, you can't expect as immediate outcome that team would continue the action, but yes, possible offside missed by AR (VAR didn't need to check as it was not penalty after that). Then correct to assess as not punishable handball.
Thanks for the clips. Good officiating by Zwayer, he looks clear and convinced about his decisions; that's something which is not always the case, especially years ago.
ReplyDeleteHere is proof that the ‘Anonymous’ account has been deleted. It’s not my account, which I have been using for some time now, to post my analyses, and which I’m also using now:
ReplyDeletehttps://ibb.co/CK9hZ9mH
I usually share longer, more detailed analyses on this blog. Please see two examples below:
https://ibb.co/1JsmDrYS
https://ibb.co/qLWGh1ct
The account ‘Referee analyst’ posts different types of content. Shorter, more concise, different writing style. No long texts. This is a different person. Not me.
It’s unfortunate to be misrepresented like this. At the same time, it gives the impression that authority is being applied to deliberately target someone. Most concerning is that someone who wasn’t even part of the original discussion (Referee analyst) is offended out of nothing. I don’t expect an apology, but please, be more respectful towards each other. There is already enough conflict in the world.
Please do not remove this reply, as I am not violating any rules.
well I don't know why everyone is justifying himself, whether you or the others.
DeleteThis blog was created to share everyone's visions about refereeing, performances, and football in a quite and peaceful way. Let's try to help each other keep it that way.
Every member here has brought throughout the year some good opinions, some analysis, some perspective, and it would be bad to lose this spirit!
Totally agree. But I have the right to defend myself against false claims.
DeleteDear Admins: if you remove the personal attack against me, I’m totally fine with my reply being removed too. Clean it up. It’s unpleasant for anyone to read. I won’t respond to any of Mikael’s post again then. Let’s move on.
Nobody needs to justify themselves. Anonymous, and the gaggle of accounts set up by them, just need to stop commenting and leave us alone.
DeleteThe blog works when everyone writes in good faith and wants to contribute to the discussion. It is too much to bare when someone opens so many accounts (Anonymous, professionalism, Unknown, Tevinjm and the infamous Referee analyst and others are all the same individual writing from their different accounts) and tries to trash everything for the other users. What I am writing is to inform the readers about what is happening who can then reach their own judgement.
It is very, very important to 'gatekeep your spaces' - or something like this is made inevitable.
I wish you could see my IP address, because then I could at least prove I’m not the person behind Professionalism, Unknown, Tevinjm, Referee analyst or other anonymous accounts. 😉 I don’t rule out that someone else is using multiple accounts and I understand it’s annoying. Just like the high amount of AI. Many accounts are using the same AI-language, even if they’re not the same people. Sometimes I post something here and notice only later how AI-generated it sounds.
DeleteSpanish media are destroying Kovacs right now, and I really hope this doesn't influence UEFA in the further assignments ... Amateur journalism really ..
ReplyDeleteWell they already tried the same thing in 2024 when he """"robbed""" them vs PSG.
DeleteThis time it's much more serious,they are not used to this type of refereeing, they think this is Spain where they and Real can terify officials and destroy them.
I agree with you hopefully UEFA will not make decisions based of zheir journalists.
But still,I dont think we will see Kovacs this season in UEFA competitions.
4th official Anojen Kanagasingam is on the line as AR2 replacing Stéphane De Almeida in Bologna.
ReplyDeleteThe Swiss is extremely unlucky with assistant referees!
DeleteMy predictions for the second legs:
ReplyDeleteAtlético Madrid - Barcelona: Danny Makkelie
Liverpool - PSG: Maurizio Mariani
Arsenal - Sporting: Espen Eskas
Bayern - Real Madrid: Slavko Vincic
Celta Vigo - Freiburg: Serdar Gözübüyük
Aston Villa - Bologna: Hernandez Hernandez
Nottingham - Porto: Benoit Bastien
Real Betis - Braga: Anthony Taylor
Alkmaar - Donezk: Vassilis Fotias
AEK Athen - Rayo Vallecano: Erik Lambrechts
Florentina - Crystal Palace: Sven Jablonski
Straßburg - Mainz: Joao Pinheiro
*Celta Vigo - Freiburg: Davide Massa
DeleteNottingham - Porto: Serdar Gözübüyük
Mine are
DeleteAtlético Madrid - Barcelona: Vincic (Dankert)
Liverpool - PSG: Mariani (di Bello)
Arsenal - Sporting: Turpin (Brisard)
Bayern - Real Madrid: Makkelie (Higler)
Celta Vigo - Freiburg: Gözübüyük (van Boekel)
Aston Villa - Bologna: Letexier (van Driessche)
Nottingham - Porto: Kruzliak (di Paolo)
Real Betis - Braga: Meler (Dieperink)
Alkmaar - Donezk: Pinheiro (Martins)
AEK Athen - Rayo Vallecano: Stieler (Storks)
Florentina - Crystal Palace: Jablonski (Schröder)
Straßburg - Mainz: Taylor (Salisbury)
I think Stieler is not possible. He had Athen 4 days ago ^^
DeleteI had the same idea with Vincic and Makkelie before. I think both will definitely get these two games.
DeleteTV director in the Porto/Forest game clearly didn't realise Guida disallowed the goal on-field (delayed whistle) so had the wrong score up for a few minutes while VAR confirmed the decision of no goal.
ReplyDeleteNottingham Forest's goal was disallowed after a foul by Igor Jesus on Diogo Costa, resulting in a head clash with the Portuguese goalkeeper.
ReplyDeleteI didn't see any foul, just theatrics of Porto keeper
DeleteSupportable but rather soft decision, classic situation in which keeper is overprotected, in the first instance of the action there isn't foul, clearly attacker before on the ball, so no irregular action, but then soft contact with keeper and this was assessed as irregular. For sure Guida live perceived more than the reality.
DeleteThere was also a possible penalty for Porto at the beginning of the game, maybe more outside the box than inside, if possible later today I will post clips from this game and Schaerer's one.
Observers for second legs:
ReplyDeleteCL:
Atleti - Barcelona: Sippel GER
Liverpool - Paris: González Vázquez ESP
Arsenal - Sporting: Orrsson ISL
Bayern - Real: Dallas SCO
EL:
Celta - Freiburg: Schluchter SUI
Betis - Braga: Fröhlich GER
Nottingham - Porto: Rizzoli ITA
Villa - Bologna: Constantin ROU
UECL:
Alkmaar - Shakhtar: Hansson SWE
Fiorentina - Crystal Palace: Malcolm NIR
AEK - Rayo: Ferreira POR
Strasbourg - Mainz: Tutk EST
My prediction
ReplyDeleteAthletico madrid vs barcelona: mariani
Liverpool vs psg: joao pinheiro
Arsenal vs sporting: turpin
Bayern munich vs realmadrid: vincic
Glen Nyberg had a very good evening. He is agile and keeps with the pace of the players, gesticulating very clearly when he doesn't find a reason to call "foul". However, his high threshold for foul detection, helping the flow of game, is sometimes undermining him as he misses some infringements. For me, he resembles Jablonski in more ways than one.
ReplyDeletePorto - Nottingham, referee Marco Guida:
ReplyDelete8' Free kick? Penalty? VAR intervention, in case?
https://streambug.org/cv/c729ab
62' Disallowed goal for a foul on keeper, VAR confirmed after a long check. Supportable decision, keeper aware of the goal about to be scored, continued the injury to be sure to create a controversial situation.
https://streambug.org/cv/80086d
Sandro Schärer, Bologna - Aston Villa
ReplyDelete14' YC SPA
https://streambug.org/cv/a0be58
18' PAI, Handball
https://streambug.org/cv/3e881d
26' GLT in use, but offside, rare to see
https://streambug.org/cv/743a6d
31' PAI
https://streambug.org/cv/e790b6
The broadcaster reported a YC for the player, in case simulation, but there isn't any confirmation about that, player was not booked. Possible offside as well.
57' PAI
https://streambug.org/cv/b77992
Good read of the game by the Swiss, it was attacker with his action putting himself ahead of defender, to create this contact. Still, a penalty would have been maybe confirmed by VAR...
I think a good performance by the Swiss referee.
Maybe it’s wild (!) but why not Taylor with Atletico-Barcelona? :) More chances for either Vincic or Makkelie, but why not?
ReplyDeleteLiverpool-PSG screams Maurizio Mariani. I think either Turpin or Letexier will get Arsenal’s game…(I see chances for Eskas in London as well). Bayern-Real seems quite good for Makkelie…
Marciniak locked for one of the SF and either Turpin or Letexier (depends if one gets Arsenal-Sporting) seems pretty obvious to me.
Maybe Vincic with SF1 (PSG one)?
My idea is that UEFA will stay loyal to the policy of not appointing a referee for the second leg (doesn't apply for the first) who is in the same side of the bracket. The winner of Atletico-Barcelona plays the winner of Arsenal-Sporting, so I think Taylor has been ruled out of the intra-Spain duel. Both French referees are highly considered so I think they will appear in the CL. Due to PSG's presence in the other side of the draw, they are only applicable for the two aforementioned matches. Therefore, according to how UEFA are treating them both, it is quite clear that Turpin would get the harder match (so Atletico-Barca) and Letexier the easier match (ie Arsenal-Sporting). Unless Rosetti goes to Arsenal again (or sth like), the assessor at the match in London would not imply that Letexier is in big consideration for the CL final. According to the bracket rule, the only two officials with the level to referee Bayern-Real are Vincic and Makkelie. As a candidate for the CL final, I think the referee will not be Makkelie, so Vincic should be on the whistle for the classic European match. The tie in Liverpool seems like a run-off between Mariani and Pinheiro. The top possible assignment for Taylor is Betis-Braga and I anticipate he will get it. Rizzoli will observe N.Forest-Porto, and if he were appointed to assess Makkelie, it would make a lot of sense.
DeleteBut last season’s QF appointments contradict this policy…
Delete@diego: I basically agree with all your points.
Naturally Kovacs would be the fourth name for the SFs, but now at least uncertain.
@Philipp S: I was wondering, in a PSG-Bayern SF, perhaps Hernandez Hernandez with the first leg?
DeleteWell, or Liverpool-Bayern ;)
DeleteBarcelona-Espanyol
ReplyDeleteIt looked calm a calm Derbí Barcelona at first. 5 YC in the 1st half, Hernandez is busy. He is in control though.