Thursday 20 April 2023

Europa Conference League 2022/23 - Referee Appointments - Quarterfinals (II)

2022-23 Europa Conference League Quarterfinals. Referee appointments for Second Legs. 



20 April 2023

18:45 CET -  Florence (Stadio Comunale Artemio Franchi) 
ACF Fiorentina (ITA) - KKS Lech Poznań (POL) 
Referee: Rade Obrenovič (SVN)
Assistant Referee 1: Jure Praprotnik (SVN)
Assistant Referee 2: Grega Kordež (SVN)
Fourth Official: Slavko Vinčić (SVN)
Video Assistant Referee: Nejc Kajtazović (SVN)
Assistant Video Assistant Referee: Matej Jug (SVN)
UEFA Referee Observer: Francesco Bianchi (SUI)
UEFA Delegate: Milovan Đukanović (MNE)

18:45 CET - Alkmaar (AZ Stadion) 
AZ Alkmaar (NED) - RSC Anderlecht (BEL) 
Referee: Davide Massa (ITA)
Assistant Referee 1: Filippo Meli (ITA)
Assistant Referee 2: Stefano Alassio (ITA)
Fourth Official: Daniele Chiffi (ITA)
Video Assistant Referee:  Marco Di Bello (ITA)
Assistant Video Assistant Referee: Fabio Maresca (ITA) 
UEFA Referee Observer: Stavros Tritsonis (GRE) 
UEFA Delegate: John Taylor (SCO)

21:00 CET - London (London Stadium) 
West Ham (ENG) - KAA Gent (BEL)
Referee: Orel Grinfeeld (ISR) 
Assistant Referee 1: Roy Hassan (ISR)
Assistant Referee 2: Idan Yarkoni (ISR)
Fourth Official: Gal Leibovitz (ISR)
Video Assistant Referee: Roi Reinshreiber (ISR)
Assistant Video Assistant Referee: Eli Hacmon (ISR)
UEFA Referee Observer: Hugh Dallas (SCO)
UEFA Delegate: Romano Clavadetscher (SUI)

21:00 CET - Nice (Grand Stade de Nice) 
OGC Nice (FRA) - FC Basel (SUI) 
Referee: Serdar Gözübüyük (NED)
Assistant Referee 1: Erwin E. J. Zeinstra (NED)
Assistant Referee 2: Johan Balder (NED) 
Fourth Official: Sander van der Eijk (NED)
Video Assistant Referee:  Dennis Higler (NED)
Assistant Video Assistant Referee: Jeroen Manschot (NED)
UEFA Referee Observer: Kyros Vassaras (GRE)
UEFA Delegate: Danilo Filacchione (ITA) 

31 comments:

  1. So UEFA clearly didn't like Vincic's last performance...
    Great, but unexpected appointment for Obrenovic, who now should be the leading candidate for the next CL debut.
    The other three are quite normal appointments:
    Massa and Gözübüyük with the logical path: CL R16, EL R16, ECL QF
    And Grinfeeld similar, just without the CL game.

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    1. Indeed that's the confirmation of the assessment by committee, he will work as fourth official. Very important appointment for Obrenovic in this stage. Nevertheless, I still don't see him promoted on next update, due to less experience than the other candidates, but he is clearly following a good path. One could say that, since Vincic was expected to get another game before his poor performance in previous round, committee switched on the other name from the same country...
      The rest is quite normal, with Grinfeeld, Gozubuyuk and Massa. Just a remark about the Italian: he is mostly getting low profile games since a certain time, really don't know why. He performs definitely better than Mariani, also domestically...

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    2. Vincic could have a (light) injury. Didn’t work in domestic league for a while

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    3. what was Vincic last game? I forgot

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    4. Domestic league 18 March

      Euro qualifiers 27 March (more than 3 weeks ago).

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  2. What do you think about Grinfeeld-Dallas? Is it normal appointment?

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    1. Certainly not. Dallas used to be Israeli referees' mentor when he was member of the committee. Very inappropriate appointment.

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    2. Dallas mostly (only?) observes in Great Britain nowadays, so the reason could be purely geographically and nothing more.
      I don't expect Grinfeeld to be planned for something big this season.

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    3. There is a little polemic in France about Gozubuyuk appointment. France is fighting with Netherlands about UEFA coef and this coming is very discussed…bot a good point for Rosetti…

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  3. The appointment of Gözübüyük is being criticked in France by (former) referee Saïd Ennjimi in an article in L'Équipe.

    He trusts the quality of Gözübüyük but is having remarks towards UEFA of assigning him for this match. Reason, the UEFA Coefficient ranking which decides how many clubs per country go in to which UEFA competition. Since France and the Netherlands are in a direct battle Gözübüyük can't do it right in key moments. Either he will receive critics out of one of the countries according to Ennjimi.

    https://www.lequipe.fr/Football/Actualites/Ennjimi-sur-l-arbitre-neerlandais-de-nice-bale-il-a-ete-designe-pour-sa-competence/1392084

    Is he having a point here? Should these situations be avoided in general?

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    1. Imagine being paid to write such bulls**t as a former FIFA referee... this situation already happened in 2020 when a load of self-important journalists got bored during COVID and tried to turn Makkelie's Lyon vs. Manchester City into a big fiasco, because these small people get a kick out of 'setting the agenda' and being the author of stupid polemics. Sad!

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    2. + 1, Mikael, very well said.

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  4. Very soft penalty given by Massa, don't like it at all

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  5. Very challenging start for Obrenovic, despite of first leg score, he is having some difficult minutes: harsh fouls, protests, already a possible second yellow card, and now a possible OFR for a missed penalty with serious injury for Fiorentina player... a first half to be watched.

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    1. Definitely a nightmare first half for the Slovenian... now a questionable yellow card for a challenge that looked fair on the ball.

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    2. In second half, an OFR for a clear penalty.Expect a report of this game on next days...

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  6. Obrenovič performance today is completly scandalous.

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  7. Surprised no penalty given by Grinfeeld on the handball in the box in stoppage time? Looked a clear pen to me.

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    1. I have only seen one replay so far, but wasn't the arm hanging in a natural position?

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    2. I don't know. Seemed quite a ways away from the body to me.

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  8. Absoultely stonewall penalty for West Ham in the last minute of the first half

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    1. I thought so as well. Arm looked to be in an unnatural position for me. Maybe VAR thinking the defender was too close in proximity to the header?

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    2. Imo big mistake from Reinshreiber not to recommend an OFR, especially considering how strict UEFA treats handballs

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    3. first half was more penalty then the one VAR called him

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  9. Please find below some clips from Rade Obrenović game Fiorentina - Lech Poznań:

    16' YC for reckless elbow.
    https://streamja.com/QoMNd
    Very borderline situation, it looks like player from Lech is aware of opponent and he even uses some force in the elbow, but one must agree with VAR still not a 100% clear VC.

    18' YC for dissenting gesture
    https://streamja.com/kgJBo
    A player from Fiorentina is punished with YC for his gesture against referee. There is already a hot temperature in the first part of first half.

    23' YC for holding / SPA
    https://streamja.com/BK211
    Maybe even for the foul before, played advantage, a YC was possible.

    27' Possible YC for holding / SPA
    https://streamja.com/7nv3L
    The same player booked four minutes before. Referee whistles foul withoiut issuing card. A few minutes later, the player will be substituted. Also, Fiorentina player should have been booked for his reaction, this was something more than the previous dissenting gesture in 18' and the gesture of YC is expected to be booked. The Slovenian was not consistent. A personal remark: when dissenting gestures happen isolated from the context, it is easier to get booked by referee, because their attention is there, but when this happens close to other important incidents, referee can miss in detecting it due to busy mind.

    28' Possible penalty for reckless challenge
    https://streamja.com/RJmpq
    Extremely interesting situation, I think that this was absolutely to be whistled, the defender was aware about his action. He was very clever to hit opponent rather with shoulder, so putting VAR in trouble when the latter has to call referee. I think this was an evident reckless challenge, but not belonging to the ones (elbows) for which we see VAR interventions, so I hope for the future this will be regulated.
    One can't blame VAR for staying silent, but I think a VAR with a different mind would have called referee without hesitation...

    35' YC for reckless challenge
    https://streamja.com/Eajqj
    I think that one can describe this as reckless only based on trailing leg, but even in that case, I think if you want to whistle foul, careless woule be better. Play on expected decision and indeed players very angry again. Nevertheless, not a 100% wrong card, but rather sophisticated decision.

    60' OFR for assigning a penalty for reckless challenge
    https://streamable.com/pzk6ca
    Maybe even RC for SFP possible...

    88' Soft foul called and YC for dissenting behavior
    https://streamja.com/4OZgw
    I think that this was never a foul and the team could have had a chance, then OK to book player for his reaction.

    All in all, very poor performance, missed approach, one could find the only explanation that he thought this game was easy to handle due to first leg score, so relaxed appoach... but don't say that to committee please... they could be very angry and I think indeed they wiill be after the performance of the Slovenian..

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    1. Agree very poor performance, no consistency at all, the same tendencies towards VAR, both teams cannot accept his approach and criteria for selection of fouls and cards. In the 1st half he missed an advantage for FIO, and the FIO players protested because at least if he didn't give an advantage he should have given YC for Lech player (pulling). I can't imagine if he had to go to extra time, very lucky for Obrenovic that Lech couldn't take full advantage of his very poor performance.

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    2. To be honest, I can't imagine this performance in a fully open tie after a first leg different score! Committee was extremely lucky, I would say, but still... Lech could question about the situation in 88' if you ask me...

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  10. That's not handball.. that's BIG handball.
    Absolutely shocked by NO VAR intervention!
    https://streamja.com/6097K

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    1. another stroke of luck for VAR inconsistency from the final score, maybe it's indicate that UEFA was very in trouble this week, too many controversies about the consistency around handball incident and VAR roles. It seems the protocol just too weak, "always" lose with they called such kind of "interpretation" of the referee, also from the VAR which I think the VAR can't have their own interpretation but in fact it was.

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    2. Unbelievable decision, absolutely punishable handball IMO. I can't find a plausible argument to justify such a call by the referee and especially VAR.

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    3. Probably the argument was, that the first contact was too high up the arm, and then the second contact only happened after the deflection.
      But yes, that's too complicated thinking, the arm position is clearly enough here for a penalty.

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