Wednesday 19 February 2020

Champions League 2019/20 - Referee Appointments - Round of 16 (First Leg, II)

Referee appointments for Wednesday's games of 2019-20 UEFA Champions League Round of 16, First Legs. 
19.02.2020, 21:00 CET
Stadio San Siro, Milan (ITA)
Atalanta Bergamasca Calcio (ITA) - Valencia CF (ESP)
Referee: Michael Oliver (ENG)
Assistant Referee 1: Stuart Burt (ENG)
Assistant Referee 2: Simon Peter Bennett (ENG)
Fourth Official: Martin Atkinson (ENG)
Video Assistant Referee: Christopher Kavanagh (ENG)
Assistant Video Assistant Referee: Craig Pawson (ENG)
UEFA Referee Observer: Kýros Vassáras (GRE)
UEFA Delegate: Rainer Koch (GER)

19.02.2020, 21:00 CET
Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, London (ENG)
Tottenham Hotspur FC (ENG) - RB Leipzig (GER)
Referee: Cüneyt Çakır (TUR)
Assistant Referee 1: Bahattin Duran (TUR)
Assistant Referee 2: Tarik Ongun (TUR)
Fourth Official: Halil Umut Meler (TUR)
Video Assistant Referee: Mete Kalkavan (TUR)
Assistant Video Assistant Referee: Abdulkadir Bitigen (TUR)
UEFA Referee Observer: Domenico Messina (ITA)
UEFA Delegate: Myrsíni Psarropoúlou (GRE)

88 comments:

  1. Does Kyros Vassaras Committee member?

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    1. Former committee member, however they have the same importance they had before. Vassaras, along with other former committee members, now belong to a special panel called "Referee development".

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    2. So, does it mean big inspection for Marciniak (Rosetti) and Oliver (Vassaras) before UERO 2020 or maybe it is choosing UEL final referee!?

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    3. I believe, Marciniak's observer is more meaningful than Oliver's. Vassaras is IMO only a standard appointment in a CL KO stage match for a developing referee, who should be quite sure for the EURO.

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  2. So, Oliver is back with an Italian team in KO stage. I strongly hope this can be the occasion, by showing a very good performance, to forget all about Real Madrid - Juventus. It will be interesting to see how this appointment will be analyzed by Italian press and then also the performance of course. Then, let me spend some words about Atkinson fourth official: of course main reason is his great experience, but at the age of 49 I would have appointed a different name there.
    About Cakir, we can underline that he didn't get a top game after some "troubles" in group stage. If you ask me, he is still paying that. Let's see how he will be treated by committee after this game.

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    1. I thought micheal handled that game very well - only brave referees would give a pen in the last minute! Micheal is a fantastic referee at controlling games, and have enjoyed seeing his progress!

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    2. Martin atkinson has been a great referee, but has had a very poor season. He has the second worst accuracy rating in the premier league this season.

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    3. It was a great penalty decision by Michael in that Madrid v Juve game!

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    4. I dislike how Real-Juve must be treated as a game that Oliver must "recover" from. He made the correct decisions, he shouldn't be de-facto punished for it! I think that weakens confidence in other referees to make brave calls. I think stronger leadership from UEFA would be better in situations like this; don't let the press boss you around.

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  3. Great appointment for Michael Oliver, I’m glad that he’s back in KO stage. The presence of Kyros Vassaras could mean that this is a crucial appointment regarding selection for EURO (I expect him and Taylor to attend the tournament). Also glad to see Cüneyt Çakir back again in CL action after these last months, with a standard appointment.

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  4. How Martin Atkinson be fourth official in KO stage match ? He was an excellent referee, but if Oliver will injury, the match will be officiated by a NON FIFA referee. This is not fair.
    Anyway congratulation and good luck to Oliver, Marciniak, Mateu and Cakir

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    1. England only have eight FIFA list referees, and it's strongly believed that Andy Madley and David Coote have failed the UEFA fitness test meaning they will not be appointed until they pass that. UEFA also seem to prefer the VAR/AVAR to be FIFA list referees as opposed to the FO, as elite referees should and are very rarely injured during games at the top level.

      With Oliver, Kavanagh and Pawson on Wednesday's fixture, the remaining available referees are Taylor and Attwell (who are ref and FO for Chelsea vs Manchester Utd tonight) and Tierney. Maybe we will see Taylor with Attwell and Tierney as a VAR team on Thursday though I doubt it if PGMOL have appointed him to a Monday night game, or maybe UEFA deem ex-Elite Atkinson a better choice as FO as he has more experience than other English referees at the top level. I'm not entirely sure of their thinking but suspect in the next round UEFA may move to last year's appointment of elite referees of different nationalities as FO to alleviate this issue.

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    2. It's interesting to me that center referees are being appointed to AVAR roles, as opposed to ARs being given those assignments. In every other competition I can think of, it's been ARs in those roles. If this were the case, there wouldn't be such a lack of availability of English FIFA referees.

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  5. IMO, these two matches are the least sonorous of the whole R16. So I would rather have expected two referees, where a R16 appointment was less sure, like Vincic, Bastien, Sidiropoulos, Soares Dias, Karasev etc.
    I think, there are around 14 referees, who should be sure for EURO and CL KO stage and I would have included both, Oliver and Cakir in that list.
    Therefore I am wondering, which matches will be chosen for referees, who are less established. Maybe UEFA counts on pre-decided 2nd legs? Or we will have double appointments again and only the "sure" names are used?

    Regarding Cakir, it makes however sense to appoint him to this match after some uncertainties in the group stage.
    Cakir and Oliver have also chances for a QF, if they show a good performance on Wednesday, I think.

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    Replies
    1. Thanks, great comment and I more-or-less fully agree (also vis-á-vis Vassáras).

      I know with VAR it's a different pretext but is it just me that finds recent pattern where we see the same names over and over a bit irritating?

      Surely many referees having four Group Stage matches or not using sixteen referees for the Round of Sixteen could be pretty easily avoided.

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  6. Both are logical appointments from Rosetti.

    A good opportunity to test Oliver on a not sonorous match and with a very important observer. Vassaras is not appointed often so this must mean something.

    Normal appointment also for Cakir. After a difficult first half of the season, it's the ideal match to recover.

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    Replies
    1. Vassaras is one of the most sonorous observers with a great reputation and respect amongst English referees. When are El appointments to be published? Has Sidiropoulos been given a game?

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    2. Tomorrow Europa League appointments.

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  7. Names like Sidiropoulos are out from Champions League KO stage due to performance. They are just lucky to belong to this category to be honest.

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  8. Quite an eventful weekend in Ligue 1, here are some situations from this weekend, if you're interested:

    TOULOUSE FC - OGC NICE: Jérôme Miguelgorry (VAR: Benoît Millot)
    => RC for DOGSO: https://youtu.be/otEcEU2Oh6o?t=73
    => YC changed to RC for SFP after OFR: https://youtu.be/otEcEU2Oh6o?t=153
    => Penalty for Toulouse: https://youtu.be/otEcEU2Oh6o?t=178

    NÎMES OLYMPIQUE - ANGERS SCO: Karim Abed (VAR: Jérémie Pignard)
    => RC for SFP: https://youtu.be/h_MFo5bHVwM?t=114

    STADE BRESTOIS - AS SAINT-ETIENNE: Eric Wattellier (VAR: Amaury Delerue)
    => Penalty awarded for handball: https://youtu.be/s2_1hLm7Z2Y?t=128

    FC NANTES - FC METZ: Jérémy Stinat (VAR: Amaury Delerue)
    => RC for SFP: https://youtu.be/JXQOzUWmwBc?t=145

    LILLE LOSC - OLYMPIQUE DE MARSEILLE: Frank Schneider (VAR: Clément Turpin)
    => Penalty for Marseille: https://youtu.be/OYPAnHHtFko?t=118

    STADE DE REIMS - STADE RENNAIS: Florent Batta (VAR: Dominique Julien)
    => Penalty for Reims: https://youtu.be/PAlRHDRPVuA?t=126

    OLYMPIQUE LYONNAIS - RC STRASBOURG: Johan Hamel (VAR: Jérôme Brisard)
    => Goal for Lyon given after VAR intervention, big mistake by AR2: https://youtu.be/uxPR-upvDa8?t=70

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    Replies
    1. Thank you! Very good RCs given in each case.

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  9. I have a basic question - for European matches where is the VAR located? Many thanks

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    Replies
    1. Truck just outside the stadium.

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    2. Do you know where VAR will be located during Euro 2020 ? In each stadium or in one common control room ?

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  10. In the hope that if he is appointed for an EL game on Thursday it would be synthesised better, I wait until tomorrow to post my report of the AEL Lárissa - PAOK Thessaloníki game handled by Srđan Jovanović. To preview: some interesting handling scenes; overall 8,2 level performance.

    I am also interested to watch the APOEL Lefkosía - Apollon Lemesós (Rade Obrenovič) and AEL Lemesós - Omonoia Lefkosía (Marco Di Bello) games, but I cannot find them anywhere (even Cyprus FA ostensibly withholds these games from being uploaded onto WyScout).

    If anyone has these full match records and would care to send them [mikaelthereferee@gmail.com], I would be deeply indebted.

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    1. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sWGRR-xdp9U&feature=emb_title
      Highlights from APOEL-APOLLON(Obrenovic). The full game is normally uploaded in a week on wyscout. Too many confrontations occurred because of him, since he left unpublishable clear illegal use of arms in the face.
      7' Handball by the attacker almost occurred to a goal.No foul given.
      60' There is no foul on the defender.
      On the full match there is a second yellow card on minute 68' which was not given to APOLLON player no.5 who is scoring the 1-1 2 minutes later.

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    2. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oaaPv5xIJHU&feature=emb_title
      Highlights from AEL-OMONOIA(Di Bello)Not the best game for the Italian.
      14' Penalty missed.Clear penalty
      18' Goal scored. Not clear if it is offside or not.
      79' Good call from the referee
      86' No foul from the attacker and the next second a team mate is scoring.
      There is a situation with a second yellow card which is not shown on the highlights. Waiting for wyscout.

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    3. Thank you very much Unknown!

      Could you let me know when the full matches are uploaded to WyScout and I can report both games with clips :)

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    4. Sorry but this in 68 minute from Apoel - Apollon is never a second yellow card, not even the first. Please check Mikael and make a comment. All matches from last round Cyprus leauge is are uplodaded.

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    5. Thanks for the update - it will be a fair amount of time until I can (work, CL / EL, my friend with access to WyScout is quite busy) but I plan to report both games in due course.

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    6. https://www.kerkida.net/eidiseis/a-katigoria/aek/stigmiotypa-aek-ael-0
      Highlights AEK-AEL(Cyprus Cup)-Sandro Scharer
      Overall excellent management, good performance.
      Only one situation missed in 61 minute-Penalty for Handball-Hand in an unnatural position

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  11. Christopher Kavanagh, who will act as VAR in the Atalanta - Valencia game on Wednesday, did not intervene in the Chelsea - Manchester United game tonight as VAR in this scene (on-field decision by Anthony Taylor: no sanction).

    https://streamja.com/4KZG

    No comment...

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    1. Unbelievable, what are they doing in England?

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    2. They try to keep it 11v11 at all cost

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    3. Unacceptable IMO to not intervene here. If that is not a clear red card, I don’t know what is...

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    4. Some are saying in the English media that Kavanaugh might have thought that Maguire was trying to stop the player from falling on him...

      The confusing thing for me is that there wasn't an OFR, which they are now 'allowed' to do in the Premier League from Taylor. Maybe because it was close to Attwell (FO) etc they didn't find it necessary, but I have a feeling that if there was an OFR it would be a red card.

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    5. In england they are told to only look at the OFR IF the decision is wrong on a red card offence. If the VAR agrees then the referee will not have a look. OFR are only used for RED CARDS in the premier league which is differnent in compaison to every other league. Atwell didnt actually see the incident so that shouldnt effect it.

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    6. I dont think it is entirely true because Paul teitney gave a red card to godfrey of Norwich after initially giving him a yellow card and was then invited to watch and he changed his decision to a red card a week after he gave Arsenals captain a red card also

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  12. Thanks to Anonymous (do you have a preferred name, I can credit you in the comments in case) refereeing highlights of last night's game between Borussia Dortmund - Paris Saint-Germain handled by Antonio Mateu Lahoz (Hernández Hernández) can be found at the blog's side :)

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  13. OT : Tobias Stieler has been appointed on Sunday in the Greek Super League between PAOK Saloniki against Olympiacos Piräus.

    Referee : Tobias Stieler
    AR1 : Matthias JöllenbecK
    AR2 : Christian Gittelmaann
    FO : Sören Storks
    VAR : Tobias Welz
    AVAR : Rafael Foltyn

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  14. Source : https://fws.gr/diaititis-kai-var-made-in-germany-sto-ntermpi-tis-toympas/ (i have find at Twitter)

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  15. Hopefully this video works outside the UK - apparently the Scottish FA think this was simulation:

    https://twitter.com/ICTFC/status/1230203869554192385

    The blue player received a second yellow card in the Scottish Challenge Cup semi-final match for this incident, the club appealed it as clearly it wasn't a dive but the appeal has been dismissed. Unbelievable!

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  16. 10' and 12': Two correct YCs by Cakir for reckless tackles, one to each team.

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  17. Perfect Oliver.

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  18. Miscommunication between Cakir and AR1 on a throw in, cakir overruled assistant.

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  19. 32‘ Brilliant onside-decision by AR2 in Cakir‘s game!

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    1. With VAR they are told to never raise their flag in any hezitation situation. So no, it's not really impressive.

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    2. He would have raised the flag when the ball went out. He didn‘t so he assessed the situation as onside which is a great decision.

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  20. micheal oliver with lots of free kicks and lots of play ones. Every decision 100% sure, and also accurate! Good decision of letting the play go on, and then going back to give the offisde.

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  21. cakir good yellow for werner unsporting behaviour

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  22. Brilliant Oliver.

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  23. Good first half by Oliver on an easy-going match. No cautions, good control (one warning for a foul). A point for improvement would be his positioning. Very close to the ball on several cases and almost no diagonal movement.

    Both AR's with accurate offside calls.

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    1. hes close but not to close to disrupt the game.to me it shows that he is up with game therefore successful decision making

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  24. Expected level first half by Cakir. 3 correct YCs, and mostly good foul detection in a half with periods of quite many fouls. IMO, AR1 and Cakir missed a foul to RBL in 33', which lead to Werner's following revenge foul and YC.

    Otherwise expected level from both ARs, especially a very good onside by Ongun in 32'.

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    1. IMO supportable choice not to whistle foul in 33'.

      Even Leipzig players didn't protest against the decision and accepted the corrrct YC.

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  25. 51‘ I think missed YC for Aurier by Cakir (SPA). Especially when you think that he was kind of „harsh“ (which I really liked btw) in first half

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    1. But generally I really like Cakir so far!

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  26. Now stone cold penalty but after a great advantage!

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  27. great advantage by cakir in the build up to the clear pen!

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  28. There was an offside in Milan before 4-0 by Atalanta, AR2 didn't raise the flg, VAR confirmed the goal. I think that Oliver should have rewatched the situation to assess whether the player in offside was punishable or not, offside was very clear.

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    1. The referee team probably was aware of the offside, so no missed incident. Therefore the VAR should only recommend the OFR, if he thinks, that it was punishable.

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    2. https://streamable.com/tce6a
      Punishable offside? The player who was ONSIDE reached the ball, but exactly when ball passed, the player in OFFSIDE was very close to opponent, it is possible he impeded him.
      I think Oliver should have rewatched this incident, I guess VAR was only focused on the fact that the player getting ball was in regular position... but there is something more there.
      Unless, they asked directly AR2 and he confirmed to have assessed that offside as well, considering it as not punishable, but it is unlikely.

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    3. Difficult and interesting situation.

      The player in offside position seems not interested to play the ball but his opponent is certain that AR2 will raise his flag and runs after many seconds. IMO, the offside is punishable.

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    4. It looks like no offense to me. The defenders are running towards the space behind the Player In Offside Position, so he's not in their way or impeding them. He also doesn't make an obvious action or a clear attempt to play the ball. The defenders got distracted by him of course, but as we all know, that is usually unimportant with the current offside law (unless the PIOP clearly attempts to play the ball, which didn't happen here IMO). Good non-intervention by Kavanaugh.

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    5. Clear offside. Both players expected player in offside position to get the ball. Thats why both of them missed to get the ball.

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    6. That's their fault for making a faulty assumption then :) A "mental distraction" isn't an offside offense...

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    7. ''making an obvious action which clearly impacts on the ability of an opponent to play the ball''

      Clear case.

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  29. Michael Oliver is one of the most "modern" style English referees, but he is still way more "old-fashioned" than most of the other Elite refs. Super nonchalant body language, soft whistles, no strong arm signals, etc. He is very personable with the players so it works for him! Though I do wonder if these old habits are harmful to English refereeing as a whole.

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  30. he has a very gentle style which defiently works in england. his soft approach does settle games and he is not known for excessive cards, excessive sprints after fouls etc. a lot of referees in england use the "soft whistle" approach to calm the sistuation down

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    1. It's certainly very different from what we see from most referees at this level! Other than maybe Lahoz, no one else besides other English refs really have a similar style. It's interesting for sure.

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  31. Too much dissent by VAL players on 74' on a clear situation. Defender didn't touch the ball with his hand.

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    Replies
    1. Perhaps, but there was also a challenge once the ball dropped from the non-handball.

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  32. Now a missed yellow card for Muriel in 81. minute after illegal use of arm against Diakhaby. No foul whistled here.

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    1. In the Atalanta vs. Valencia game to be clear

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  33. Again and again masterpiece of refereeing by Cakir! Well done to the Turkish team!

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  34. Excellent game by Cüneyt Çakir in London!

    Solid foul detection,all six YCs fully deserved and a great advantage before the important penalty!
    Assistant referees with amazing onside/offside tonight!

    Only one missed YC in 51'.

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  35. Brilliant Çakir, very good performance tonight. Congratulations

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  36. After yesterday, I think overall we can say another good day for officials in Champions League, however this time I think that an OFR is missing: possible offside in Atalanta - Valencia before 4-0, for me it is punishable. Apart from that, no problems. A solid Cakir in London, hopefully for him, another match in CL KO stage will follow.
    Waiting for the games to be played on next week, but before that Europa League tomorrow.

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    Replies
    1. I agree it's been a very high standard of refereeing in these first four KO games, let's hope it continues! I'm fine with no OFR on the offside decision as I mentioned above; it's a gray-area supportable decision at worst and personally I agree with the original call based on the only angle we've seen so far.

      Cakir will of course have at least one more game in this knockout round, at least! Even though I've seen some people report that he had a poor group stage (I didn't watch any of his games), there's no way UEFA would leave him off the QF or SF list; he's still one of their most trustworthy pair of hands.

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  37. C. ÇAKIR

    10. - YC Tottenham #18; reckless tackle; correct
    12. - YC Leipzig #7; reckless tackle; correct
    33. - YC Leipzig #11; unsporting behaviour - late challenge; should have been avoided by whistling quite obvious foul on Leipzig player
    34. - correct no 2nd YC Leipzig #7; no SPA, no reckless character of the foul
    50. - possible YC Leipzig #27(?); SPA/holding
    51. - missed mandatory YC Tottenham #24; SPA; difficult to caution a player here after no booking in 50.
    56. - penalty kick awarded and YC Tottenham #33 for reckless kick/trip; correct + good advantage before
    65. - warning Tottenham #6; late challenge; ok no card, no visible malice
    71. - YC Leipzig #18; SPA/holding; correct
    75. - two consecutive play-on calls; correct
    80. - play-on call after some kind of impeding progress of an opponent by Leipzig #23; correct - Tottenham player focused only on winning a FK
    85. - correct no YC Leipzig #23; no SPA
    90. - YC Tottenham #11; reckless use of arm; correct

    8.3

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    Replies
    1. Do you have Atalanta - Valencia notes?

      I will cut highlights in case :)

      Delete
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