Tuesday 23 February 2021

Champions League 2020/21 - Referee Appointments - Round of 16 (First Leg, III)

Third set of referee appointments for 2020-21 UEFA Champions League Round of 16 - First legs. Games to be played on 23 February 2021. 

23.02.2021, 21:00 CET
Arena Națională, Bucharest (ROU)
Club Atlético de Madrid (ESP) - Chelsea FC (ENG)
Referee: Felix Brych (GER)
Assistant Referee 1: Mark Borsch (GER)
Assistant Referee 2: Stefan Lupp (GER) 
Fourth Official: Christian Dingert (GER)
Video Assistant Referee: Marco Fritz (GER)
Assistant Video Assistant Referee: Sascha Stegemann (GER) 
UEFA Referee Observer: Kyros Vassaras (GRE)
UEFA Delegate: Pavel Kolev (BUL)

23.02.2021, 21:00 CET
Stadio Olimpico, Rome  (ITA) 
SS Lazio (ITA) - FC Bayern München (GER)
Referee: Orel Grinfeld (ISR)
Assistant Referee 1: Roy Hassan (ISR)
Assistant Referee 2: Idan Yarkoni (ISR)
Fourth Official: Gal Leibovitz (ISR)
Video Assistant Referee: Juan Martínez Munuera (ESP)
Assistant Video Assistant Referee: Roi Reinshreiber (ISR)
UEFA Referee Observer: Carlos Velasco Carballo (ESP) 
UEFA Delegate: Loukas Siotropos (GRE)

120 comments:

  1. Fully deserved appointment for Grinfeld after a very good group stage.
    So, like Vinčić, he will have his CL KO stage debut.
    I think the game is sonorous but surely one that he can handle, gradual approach by committee.
    Velasco Carballo coming from Spain to observe him, with also a VAR from his country (great logistics by UEFA).
    The same in Bucharest, with Brych observed by Vassaras who lives there!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Vassaras does not live in Bucharest. He only goes there a few days a month.

      Delete
    2. Are few days a month enough to be head of Romanian referees?
      I'm surprised by that, to be honest. It is a very important work. How can you do that from another country?

      Delete
    3. Why not Hategan in Bucharest, since he actually lives in Romania?

      Delete
    4. Maybe because Hategan has another game this week.

      Delete
    5. Chefren, that was exactly the main complaint of former top Romanian referees who wanted a Romanian to lead the RefCom, but Vassaras always replied that he watches the first division referees on TV and then he spends a few days in Romania to do his other tasks. He also argued that, as long as Romania now has two Elite referees, no one should complain about him doing telework from Greece.

      Delete
    6. I would trade Pereira or Clattenburg with Vassaras without a doubt....

      Delete
  2. Zwayer and Siebert will both have a game in EL on thursday.

    ReplyDelete
  3. I think that it's clear now that Grinfeld is a lock for Euro. Deserved appointment.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Well done Roberto Rosetti - fully deserved CL KO debuts for Vinčić and Grinfeld.

    To me the only note is Reinshreiber as AVAR only, having acted in the main VAR role in Grinfeld's last CL game (Bayern - Salzburg).

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I wonder if Reinshreiber would be a part of Grinfeld's crew at the Euros if he gets selected, or more seasoned VAR like Irrati/Martínez Munuera/Dankert et al. My guess would be the latter but you never know.

      Delete
  5. I think no English ref will participate because of the lockdown and restrictions of UK citizens.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. At the same time, Wembley Stadium has been named the place where the final will take place.

      Of course that always can change

      Delete
    2. I guess he meant no English refs in UCL R16, not Euro, which is 4 months away.

      Delete
  6. I agree regarding Grinfeld: Expectable and deserved appointment, although I expected a different game (e.g. Atalanta-Real), partly because he had Bayern on MD4.
    Brych is also a logical appointment (although Orsato seemed equally possible).

    ReplyDelete
  7. Marco Fritz as VAR for Felix Brych in ATL - CHL game? He was the VAR for Kružliak in Lille, where there was some controversy considering the PK at 85'. Fritz conducted an OFR review after which Kružliak stood by his decision. So the UEFA stood on Fritz's side? Or if he was wrong - did it not affect the nomination for the CL game?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Where is Dankert?

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    2. Uefa must stand on the side of Fritz because that penalty was ridiculous

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    3. Uefa must stand on Kruzliak’s side because that penalty was supportable at the very least :)

      Delete
    4. Dankert was appointed in EL last week (with Sidiropoulos) and probably will help one of the Germans this Thursday as well, I assume. Furthermore he could be Stieler's VAR in a potential CL R16 appointment.
      Fritz was already the VAR in Brych's last two CL matches.

      Delete
  8. When do they announce the referees for the Wednesdays two games?

    ReplyDelete
  9. Today's game from World Cup 2010:

    Netherlands - Spain, Howard Webb

    wc10refs.blogspot.com


    (apologies for the delay, this report wasn't a short one to write(!); hope readers enjoyed the project :))

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you Mikael W for your outstanding work! I enjoyed WC reports so far!

      Keep going and I am excited for the next WC tournament :)

      Delete
    2. I fully agree with @Ref545 about your work! It`s really fantastic work! i hope, the highest ranks of Referee Committees of different countries and organizations use your videos for their work and teaching!

      P.S. i started to read Webbs "The man in the middle". So, it will be more interesting for me to read his memories about World Cup final and watching moments from this game ;)

      Delete
    3. Thank you, I love your work.

      Delete
    4. I greatly enjoyed it! Each day a nice moment to read them. I'm looking forward to the next projects!

      Delete
    5. Thank you very much for those sentiments - they give me a lot of satisfaction and motivation!

      Delete
  10. I simply saw an amazing Doveri, an amazing Carbone and an amazing Peretti, in top clash and Milan’s derby between Internazionale and Milan.
    Simply perfect. Top clash such this can result very important at the end of the season in terms of places in ranking.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I agree. Doveri is currently #2 in Italy behind Orsato, it is such a pity we will never see him at UEFA level although he earned the UEFA badge 2 years ago to "save" him from lower age limits of non-UEFA referees in Italy. Today, literally nobody talked about the referee both during and after the match in what was probably the most important match of the season so far.

      Delete
  11. Eredivisie
    PSV - Vitesse
    Referee: Kuipers / VAR: Van Boekel
    https://video.twimg.com/ext_tw_video/1363525546492252162/pu/vid/1280x720/XHPR4SCa_NNOPz9r.mp4

    Very difficult decision for Referee. At a quick counter from a long ball a PSV's forward was caught between two defenders and collapsed. Kuipers gives YC to the player on the right side when viewed from behind and decided to be penalty. VAR intervenes, then Kuipers sees the video, corrects YC to the same player and free kick as a foul outside the area.

    Probably a holding foul, but to me it looks like a clear RC anyway. What is your opinion?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. How can it be a clear RC when there is another defender who can, and actually does, play the ball? Either SPA as wel as DOGSO were supportable.
      I’m in trouble with the final solution of overturning the penalty, while there’s a clear trip inside the box and after the holding. Original penalty and YC decision were perfectly OK for me, so no need for an OFR IMHO.

      Delete
    2. Are we sure the holding stops outside the penalty area?

      Delete
    3. IMO it's very difficult to assess and, in the end, wrong VAR intervention.

      I would prefer a YC and penalty here.

      Anonymus 18:30: I actually think that the holding starts outside and ends inside the penalty area.
      Only possbility: Kuipers saw a leg contact as reason for PK and didn't assess the holding as decisive reason for the penalty.

      Delete
    4. @Flip It’s exactly that last argument that Kuipers uses as explanation for overturning the penalty to a FK. It was not the holding what was punished, but the tripping and Kuipers did not feel the tripping as a clear DOGSO.

      Delete
  12. Kuipers:
    "The moment of contact was the tap on the foot, not the holding. I whistled for that. It is about the moment of contact, where that takes place. The VAR has investigated this well and that moment was outside the sixteen. Holding on is about when the contact moment ends, but I did not whistle for holding but for the contact on the foot."

    "The question is whether it is yellow or red. The question then is whether the player only goes for the goal.
    I didn't find that convincing, because Timo Baumgartl (Player on the left when viewed from behind) started a nice sliding. That is why it was a yellow card for me."

    I'm sorry, I couldn't see the foot contact or outside the area. In fact, it is sometimes difficult to judge whether it is a DOGSO in a situation where multiple players are surrounded. Would the sliding be successful without the foul?

    ReplyDelete
  13. https://twitter.com/LigaBBVAMX/status/1363303500801839105

    Unbelievable situation...

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Óscar Macías is very badly placed here, it's a huge mistake by an international referee.

      Delete
  14. Has anyone watched this video. It’s a Ted talk by Nicola Rizzoli about quick decision making. It’s in Italian and I don’t understand it. Can someone who does maybe take a listen and see what he points out https://youtu.be/JZkgeZ_rLQQ

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. https://ibb.co/YXXbFTZ
      On youtube, video settings: "subtitles" and select your language!
      Maybe not 100% accurate translation, but you will understand most of the things.

      Delete
  15. One of bobby maddens assistants tested positive following the game they did in Greece so Madden is isolating.
    May impact any potential European appointment

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. According to the team on skysports.com feed Bobby madden refereed Ross county vs Celtic yesterday?

      Delete
  16. OT: This happened in Austria this weekend. I would love to hear your opinion, very difficult decision here..
    I am sorry, the text is German but I hope you'll understand something :)

    https://www.skysportaustria.at/schiedsrichter-spurny-ueber-umstrittenen-lask-treffer-wuerde-nochmal-so-entscheiden/

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Technically correct decision, but clever refereeing would be to just immediately whistle the offside. This also wouldn't be wrong IMO, because there is (or was?) an instruction to punish the offside, once it is clear who is the recipient of the pass.

      Delete
    2. Agree with Philipp on this one.

      Delete
  17. Orel Grinfeeld is not somebody to mess with, as this management of mass-confrontation shows us. :)

    https://streamable.com/3gllh8

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Too arrogant way of issuing cards, in UEFA he must be calm and composed!

      Delete
  18. Interesting situation in Leeds-Southampton, penalty cancelled after OFR in 33'. For me a right call, but is this clear and obvious error? I'd say I have seen some similar situations in PL in which a foul was whistled and there was no intervention.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. https://www.goalstube.online/2021/02/leeds-southampton.html?m=1

      At 1:00

      Delete
    2. For me, it was clear and obvious. The Southampton player initiates the contact, and It is quite clear on replay that it should not have been a penalty. So I think a Var intervention was warranted here

      Delete
  19. Now that was a quick yellow card!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Not something you often see in UEFA matches, I'd say.

      Delete
    2. Yes. Imho mandatory, but we all know, that UEFA and FIFA prefer lenient approaches. So brave and correct decision.

      Delete
    3. Well, we all know that Brych does not hesitate to show cards also in the very first minute.

      Delete
    4. Agreed. Such infringements has to be punished with YC, what Brych consistently did.

      Delete
  20. Early YC for SPA by Brych, replays weren't clear about the existence of the contact, but if there was fully justified.

    ReplyDelete
  21. Roberto Rosetti is at stadium with Velasco Carballo.

    ReplyDelete
  22. Minute 18' we have a penalty appeal in Rome, AR2 flagged for offside, the possible penalty was before the materialization of it, but VAR didn't intervene. It looked like a quite clear foul, to be honest.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Looked like a penalty for me too.

      Delete
    2. Depends on the angle. There was a different angle, there it did not look like a foul. It seems supportable to play on.

      Delete
  23. 28' YC to Luis Alberto for dissenting gestures after a whistled foul.
    Now Lazio players can get frustrated.

    ReplyDelete
  24. Grinfled first half: all is about the penalty appeal (18').
    I need to rewatch the incident because it wasn't shown properly.
    Apart from that, very easy game, correct YC for dissenting behavior, AR2 with some offside calls, the first one wrong (13'), the rest correct including the one after the possible penalty.

    ReplyDelete
  25. https://streamable.com/yivuef
    In my opinion the last replay shows that Boateng is looking for opponent. Very difficult situation to read. Can VAR go so deeply?
    In my opinion, based on the live sequence and without some replays, one can have doubts, but last replay...

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you, Chefren. Indeed the last replay showed that there was an active movement towards the attacker. Penalty should have been given. You can't really blame Grinfeld as it seemed like Boateng was standing and the attacker ran into him. Also not an easy scene for VAR. He had to choose the angle mentioned above in order to detect that a foul should have been given. Then one can ask whether it is a clear and obvious mistake as Grinfeld at least had a perception on the pitch.

      Delete
    2. Penalty for me. VAR had to intervene

      Delete
    3. @Ref_1707 I fully agree, at first impression never a VAR incident because one can perceive that attacker is just going against defender deliberately to find a contact, however resume of the game was very quick and I had perception that incident was not analyzed at all by VAR. No info by UEFA about a VAR check, so I don't know whether Spanish VARs went so deeply in analizing this incident.

      Delete
    4. IMO the VAR-team was completely correct by not stepping in in this situation. Though there was a contact with the leg, it was a minor contact not enough to fall. The attacker IMO initiates his own fall. Watch his right leg suddenly swing in the air. A penalty decision would have been supported as well, but I’m happy with the no-intervention here.

      Delete
    5. IMO rather PK, but nothing the VAR should intervene for.

      Delete
  26. Good first half by Brych from what I have seen. Correct or supportable play on decision in 17', too easy fall by Werner in the penalty area.

    ReplyDelete
  27. In 18 'PK for Lazio belonged, obviously a leg substitution in the penalty area

    ReplyDelete
  28. Game has heated up a bit in Bucharest, with in three minutes time two correct YC for SPA offences + one to Atletico's coach for dissent.

    ReplyDelete
  29. I must say very convincing Brych after 65'. No easy task, a lot of talking and passion but he is consistent in disciplinary control and quite preventive towards protesting.

    ReplyDelete
  30. Tonight, Brych's anticipation / prevention of potential mobbing and dissent perfectly illustrates what UEFA demands from their referees at the moment. He adapted his style brilliantly to what is demanded from him. Top class.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Agree, a masterclass by Brych. Superb referee

      Delete
  31. 68': very late and reckless tackle from behind by Escalante (Lazio), mandatory YC for both reckless and SPA. No chances to play ball, however studs were not up and just on the ground. So far, all correct cards issued by Grinfeld to Lazio players in second half: 3 reckless and 1 SPA.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. 72' another good decision with a YC for a reckless challenge by a player from Bayern.

      Delete
    2. In 74' now another clear YC. Now, differently from firdt half, there are many fouls from both teams deserving a caution.

      Delete
  32. Very, very difficult VAR check for Marco Fritz. They had to solve who played the ball. Goal was given after VAR intervention. Check took really long, they had to work adequately and check a lot of angles. No clear replays so far.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Still no replays. We have to wait. VAR check took about three minutes.

      Delete
    2. Now it was shown, IMO correct decision by German officials to allow the goal.

      Delete
    3. Now we have it. Such a high pressure for Fritz and Stegemann but they found the perfect angle. It was the defender who played the ball. It took quite long but I must say excellent and very accurate work by VAR team. Indeed almost impossible to see on the pitch in real speed.

      Delete
    4. IMO we shouldn’t overcomplicate this situation. After having seen both replays it’s a crystal clear playing the ball by defender, so a correct intervention by the VAR-team. But 3 minutes for finding these two shots I deem as too long. Maybe there were technical issues though, we can’t know that of course.

      Delete
    5. I think Fritz / Stegemann wanted to check that the Atlético defender didn't flick the ball onto his opponent with a minimal contact.

      To be honest, I think everyone accepted the length of the delay there (even if perhaps it was slightlllly too long).

      Delete
    6. I think they also had to be clear that the attacker did not touch the ball after the defender. After two minutes of VAR check you could see Brych speaking with Fritz and it seemed like he said "are you sure?" ("bist du sicher?"). After that they checked it again half a minute and then the decision was taken. I can understand that it was a very long check. However you also have to consider that they had to be really sure and it was work under high pressure (result, round of 16, no clear angles ...). So overall, it was important that the correct decision was taken.

      Delete
    7. Goal line camera showed that, it’s very clear that defender played deliberately. In this level IMO it should have been 3 times faster.

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    8. I think there was a difficulty showing the VAR the angles as at the time there were no broadcast images available to watch the replay

      Delete
  33. I'm watching the game in the states and the broadcast showed a pretty convincing replay that the defender clearly and deliberately played the ball. For me correct decision

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  34. You can call me biased because I'm a German but that was an outstanding team performance by Brych and his crew (including VAR work). Definitely one of the best performances this season.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Totally agree! Refereeing is an art and it's simply a pleasure to watch such a brilliant performance - well done to the whole German team.

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    2. I am not German, but I completely agree with you. Brilliant performance.

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    3. Nothing to add. Brych was stellar today, he has taken football and refereeing understanding at its peak. Prime candidate to Euro Final in my eyes.

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    4. Mikael W & Co, I would be interested to know your opinion(s) on why Brych has been so successful in UEFA, but way less convincing at World Cup? How can such a big difference be explained?

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    5. One idea would be that he can really get familiar with the teams as I’m sure he has seen Chelsea and Atletico a collection of times and can scout before the event. In the World Cup, there is much more randomness between teams from year to year and the opponents they play. Having watched Brych, I think he succeeds more when appointed with more defensively minded teams rather than the run and gun games.

      Delete
    6. @Anonymous I think that this can be explained as major reason with the fact that WC games are just a few ones, in both cases, 2014 and 2018, Brych was unlucky to get controversial decisions, in addition we know that FIFA cares more about referee appointments than UEFA after certain performances. In Russia something happened in the game with Serbia and this was a big issue for Brych. One must be also lucky, Brych for sure didn't have that in his favor. Then, it can happen that exactly in those games for some reasons, you are not good as the other ones... but it is also true that thr recent Brych (this is my opinion) is by far better than the one we saw in UEFA some years ago, he should have always kept a very high standard in his career to get more also at World Cup. I would also dare to say that in case of WC to be played this year, he would have done definitely the best job among his WC participations.

      Delete
    7. Yes i agree entirely, first class performance by the team from Germany

      Delete
  35. Great performance by Brych, full in control. One of the candidates for the Euro Final, I agree.
    Difficult situation for the VAR but in the end, the decision was correct. But did they really need three minutes for it..

    ReplyDelete
  36. There is a possible offside before the penalty appeal in 18' in Grinfeld's game. Minute 17:05, must be checked carefully, maybe for this reason VAR ignored everything that happened later.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. https://ibb.co/5MBhHSh
      Possible offside before penalty appeal.

      Delete
    2. Possible offside, but in that case it has to be a freekick and there‘s nothing to discuss

      Delete
    3. Video from this episode https://t.me/REF_EX/153

      Delete
  37. Excellent Brych tonight. Masterclass.

    ReplyDelete
  38. Two clips from Brych's game.

    Potential penalty
    https://streamable.com/rnpvcj

    Any sanction required?
    https://streamable.com/6p6atw

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I guess, VAR would have supported a penalty resp. a RC in the two situations, but Brych's decision seems better in both cases
      1) I don't think the holding is the reason, that the player goes down. Yes, it might slow down him a bit, but that's an amount of contact, which is mostly accepted.
      2) Judging by the player reaction, it was an unintentional action - and intention normally is taken as condition for VC. And if it's unintentional, I also don't see much room to assess it as unsporting behaviour or anything else, that would mean a 2nd YC.

      Delete
    2. IMO both decisions are correct

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    3. Regarding 2nd clip, quite often with such unusual situations instructors ask the question 'what would the world of football expect here?'. For sure, noone would expect a 2nd yellow card in such a case.

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    4. No one will convince me that it's normal, football-related action by defender. His only target is to UNFAIRLY stop the attacking player when he realises he lost the position. Clear penalty. And calling the play-on call a better decision is simply damaging to football.

      https://pasteboard.co/JPPgYqm.png
      https://pasteboard.co/JPPjbYs.png
      https://pasteboard.co/JPPjsWx.png
      https://pasteboard.co/JPPjO1J.png

      Delete
    5. Moment with goal from the game Atletico-Chelsea: https://t.me/REF_EX/151

      Delete
    6. @Sergio: One can definetly discuss, what the target of the defender is.
      However, the contact is quite clear NOT worthy a penalty for me.

      Here, one can see a little grab on the shoulder that is not enough for whistling a PK and a little contact at the foot (which even occurs outside the penalty area):
      https://ibb.co/1dLJZnN

      Then, the attacker is already falling, when a second foot contact occurs: https://ibb.co/DYWwVh9

      In the end, the attacker exaggerates the contact and falls down. Taking that into account, I would definetly not whistle a penalty.
      Play-on is absoluetly NOT damaging football - quite the reverse.

      Delete
    7. What do you want to discuss about? It's a fact that the defender lost the position and his only target is to stop the attacking player in an unfair manner (grabbing and holding).

      And the play-on call indeed is damaging to football as it's a signal to the players they can perform unfair actions as long as the referee will keep both eyes closed looking for excuses like exaggerated fall of attacking player, insufficient amount of contact, negligible force, etc.

      It's not what football powers should be looking for. It's giving defending players an unsporting advantage.

      Delete
    8. I actually don't see a reason to discuss, I just wanted to explain my opinion, based on your comment.

      Delete
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