The following referees have been appointed to handle the first legs of 2023/24 UEFA Europa League KO Play-offs.
Thursday 15 February 2024
18:45 CET - Rotterdam (Stadion Feijenoord)
Feyenoord Rotterdam (NED) - AS Roma (ITA)
Referee: Radu Marian Petrescu ROU
Assistant Referee 1: Radu Adrian Ștefan Ghinguleac ROU
Assistant Referee 2: Mircea Mihail Grigoriu ROU
Fourth Official: Marcel Bîrsan ROU
Video Assistant Referee: Cătălin Sorin Popa ROU
Assistant Video Assistant Referee: Ovidiu Alin Hațegan ROU
UEFA Referee Observer: Viktor Kassai HUN
UEFA Delegate: Mike Foster ENG
18:45 CET - Istanbul (Rams Park)
Galatasaray (TUR) - AC Sparta Praha (CZE)
Referee: Alejandro José Hernández Hernández ESP
Assistant Referee 1: José Enrique Naranjo Pérez ESP
Assistant Referee 2: Diego Sánchez Rojo ESP
Fourth Official: Alejandro Muñiz Ruiz ESP
Video Assistant Referee: Carlos del Cerro Grande ESP
Assistant Video Assistant Referee: Ricardo de Burgos Bengoetxea ESP
UEFA Referee Observer: Andreas Schluchter SUI
UEFA Delegate: Paul Daniel Zaharia ROU
18:45 CET - Hamburg, GER (Volksparkstadion)
FK Shakhtar Donetsk (UKR) - Olympique de Marseille (FRA)
Referee: Erik Lambrechts BEL
Assistant Referee 1: Jo De Weirdt BEL
Assistant Referee 2: Kevin Monteny BEL
Fourth Official: Nathan Verboomen BEL
Video Assistant Referee: Dennis Johan Higler NED
Assistant Video Assistant Referee: Jan Boterberg BEL
UEFA Referee Observer: Matteo Simone Trefoloni ITA
UEFA Delegate: Michael O’Brien ENG
18:45 CET - Bern (Stadion Wankdorf)
BSC Young Boys (SUI) - Sporting CP (POR)
Referee: Benoît Bastien FRA
Assistant Referee 1: Hicham Zakrani FRA
Assistant Referee 2: Aurélien Berthomieu FRA
Fourth Official: Jérémie Pignard FRA
Video Assistant Referee: Benoît Millot FRA
Assistant Video Assistant Referee: Éric Wattellier FRA
UEFA Referee Observer: Kenneth William Clark SCO
UEFA Delegate: Jens Futterknecht GER
21:00 CET - Lisbon (Estádio do SL Benfica)
SL Benfica (POR) - Toulouse FC (FRA)
Referee: Donatas Rumšas LTU
Assistant Referee 1: Aleksandr Radiuš LTU
Assistant Referee 2: Dovydas Sužiedėlis LTU
Fourth Official: Robertas Valikonis LTU
Video Assistant Referee: Pol van Boekel NED
Assistant Video Assistant Referee: Jeroen Manschot NED
UEFA Referee Observer: Michael Thomas Ross NIR
UEFA Delegate: Romano Clavadetscher SUI
21:00 CET - Milan (Stadio San Siro “Giuseppe Meazza)
AC Milan (ITA) - Stade Rennais FC (FRA)
Referee: Nikola Dabanović MNE
Assistant Referee 1: Vladan Todorović MNE
Assistant Referee 2: Srđan Jovanović MNE
Fourth Official: Miloš Bošković MNE
Video Assistant Referee: Nejc Kajtazovič SVN
Assistant Video Assistant Referee: Alen Borošak SVN
UEFA Referee Observer: Lutz Michael Fröhlich GER
UEFA Delegate: Kurt Zuppinger SUI
21:00 CET - Lens (Stade Bollaert-Delelis)
RC Lens (FRA) - SC Freiburg (GER)
Referee: Bartosz Frankowski POL
Assistant Referee 1: Marcin Boniek POL
Assistant Referee 2: Jakub Winkler POL
Fourth Official: Damian Kos POL
Video Assistant Referee: Tomasz Kwiatkowski POL
Assistant Video Assistant Referee: Piotr Lasyk POL
UEFA Referee Observer: Stefan Johannesson SWE
UEFA Delegate: Emil Ubias CZE
21:00 CET - Braga (Estádio Municipal de Braga)
SC Braga (POR) - Qarabağ FK (AZE)
Referee: Morten Krogh Hansen DEN
Assistant Referee 1: Dennis René Wollenberg Rasmussen DEN
Assistant Referee 2: Steffen Beck Bramsen DEN
Fourth Official: Mikkel Redder DEN
Video Assistant Referee: Rob Dieperink NED
Assistant Video Assistant Referee: Jonas Hedegaard Hansen DEN
UEFA Referee Observer: Thomas Einwaller AUT
UEFA Delegate: Damien Mollard SUI
Nothing particular, all normal appointment. Just maybe about potential promotion for Dabanovic and Radu Marian Petrescu for Euro 2024 ahead Hategan?
ReplyDeleteYou forgot that Radu Petrescu is First Category, not Elite. So, it is impossible for Petrescu to be at Euro 2024. There wil be Kovacs. By the way, the game is the Conference League final 2022 where Istvan Kovacs was appointed. And Hategan is out for the Euro 2024, he could be there as VAR referee.
DeleteYou forgot that Ekberg in Euro 2020? Was he elite at the time? Even as VAR, Petrescu have more experienced in that role than Hategan, I think it’s not fair to push Hategan, look what happened with Marciniak. So IMO Petrescu could be Romanian No.2 at the moment.
DeleteOr maybe for VAR, Vassaras on there and it could be 2 VMO from Romania, we have many names from Romania right now.
DeleteSiebert was still 1st category at euro 2022
DeleteImpossible to compare names like Petrescu and Dabanovic to the Category 1 who attended EURO 2020! Ekberg had already a big experience and, despite of having failed the promotion to Elite, for years he was in that shadow. Siebert was the German promising star, enough to attend as "only" Category 1 (but this was only on paper). Now, into Petrescu and Dabanovic, personally I wouldn't find any reason to see them at EURO. If a second Romanian, well, the choice should be always Hategan, otherwise why he returned at top level? You can't imagine Petrescu taking his place in a major tournament, but yes, he got some positive effects from Hategan's absence, becoming for a while the second Romanian referee in UEFA. Surely this wouldn't have happened if Hategan had been always there.
DeleteInteresting to see a Romanian VAR getting trust in KO stage, we saw for other countries that UEFA appointed their trusted VAR (you can check as example Collum in Conference League, English VAR), but also Krogh with Dutch VAR. Is this an achievement by Vassaras?
ReplyDeleteQuite important observer for Lambrechts in Hamburg, Bastian meets again Young Boys after a very famous game (Mikael will surely remember!), Hernandez out with Del Cerro VAR. Gil Manzano, as I guessed, is saved for now, let's see when he will appear!
Dabanovic still in the upper zone of Category 1 with very good assignment. we can expect more by him in terms of performances, very often not fully accurate, but here another chance!
I remember me, the match from bastien by young boys was... i dont now what i say... but for him a new chance to make it better...
DeleteLet's just say it isn't a coincidence that Bastien is back first with Young Boys Bern rather than Cluj 😀.
DeleteWow, I think that this game is test for promotion for Dabanović in Elite Category next year. Hope he will perform well!!!
ReplyDeleteElite in 43 years???
DeleteYes, Guida and him have the same date of birth. I can guatantee for you that in some aspects, Dabanović is better than Guida. And, I belive that he can go up.
DeleteI was expecting Gil Manzano to be preferred over Alejandro Hernandez. Frankly, this choice surprised me.
ReplyDeleteROM-FEY 34’ YC FEY19 - Referee has perfect view and is very close, let’s play continue and on the advice of 4th official decides to award a free kick and an (exaggerated) yellow card. Not a the best image
ReplyDeleteShakhtar - Marseille Min. 26 Lambrecths missed an advantage and stopped a goal scoring opportunity for Shakhtar giving them a free kick.
ReplyDeleteBad decision in bern to support on field decision of penalty clear dive Sporting player on way down before any contact
ReplyDeleteVideo??
DeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
Delete(38') It was a very soft penalty but IMO still OK from VAR to support that decision.
DeleteGAL-SPP: foul detection of Hernandez Hernandez has not been great in the first half. Galatasaray players are exaggerating and fooling him.
ReplyDeleteCLEAR missed YC for Sparta in 45’. I do not know how they missed that
DeleteCan you share Galatasaray's 2 penalties that Hernandez did not give? Also mention the Red Card he showed for a simpler foul than the foul in the penalty position. This is the Referee Blog, please let's be fair.
DeleteAnother missed YC for Sparta in 76’ for step on foot.
DeleteHernandez is losing control of the match
DeleteMeler has a game on Sunday, is it possible to see him in the CL on Wednesday?
ReplyDeleteLast Monday, referee commentators on tv said he was injured and won't be active till end of the month and suddenly he got a game this week. If he gets a match I believe a Europa League game before CL game.
DeleteCorrect RC for DOGSO by Hernández Hernández in Istanbul
ReplyDeleteVideo: https://streamin.me/v/7e1bc641
DeleteVery good decision, all can agree that attacker would have controlled the ball 100% witohut the foul.
Shakhtar - Marseille: correct play on following a penalty area incident, but in this case the Belgian referee had to book attacker, if you make this call you must then show the card for simulation.
ReplyDeleteSecond YC to Sparta Prague, reckless arm to face: https://streamin.me/v/9321b674
ReplyDeleteClassic exaggeration of the contact by opponent.
In my opinion no more than careless.
AR1 was behind and he couldn't see, maybe fourth official?
Should VAR intervened in this case ?
DeleteProbably input from 4th official. Tough second yellow imo. Hernandez was fooled many times by exaggeration in this match
Delete@Anonymous 20:41 It's a second yellow card, VAR can't intervene unless it is to upgrade it to a straight red, and it certainly wasn't
DeleteThank you
DeleteThere is a discussion about extending the VAR interventions to second yellow cards leading to red cards when these decisions are clearly wrong, but in my opinion this is impossible.
DeleteToo many calls should be questioned by VAR and in some cases it would be extremely difficult to detect the correctness or not of a YC. In this incident I think almost all people can agree that it was wrong, but we can heva different nuances, for example a bit more intense touch to face, but still not very evident, and this YC would have been at least supportable.
I think that such kind of incidents (second YCs) nowadays with VAR are the easiest situations for cheaters who want to see referee send off an opponent, they feel a hand close to face, they exaggerate the contact and here you have outcome.. VAR can do nothing. I can't blame too much Spanish referees in this game because these incidents are really hard to read, and one should only ask players to be fair. I saw many and many similar scenes in Italian serie B (by fare more than serie A) in the years, even in recent times with VAR indeed, and a lot of mistakes. Just want to highlight this problem.
It’s a pity as I thought referee had a good game but will probably end up with a 7.9
DeleteI heard IFAB is open to test VAR interventions regarding potential / wrong 2YCs.
DeleteAre they going to check first yellow card leading to the second one? Second one might be a correct decision but what will happen if the first one was wrong?
DeleteWhat about situations where a player avoids a second yellow, will VAR check for a possible second yellow?
DeleteIt would be better to close VAR down than having '(non-)SYC interventions' in football.
DeleteThere are different proposals and IFAB will have to decide about the test protocol.
DeleteDifficult scene for Frankowski but correct to deny the goal for Lens after VAR for offside. Question is: Was it also hand ball?
ReplyDeleteNow nice advantage and delayed yc!
It looks the offside was in the returning pass by teammate to player who had kicked the corner (at the beginning of the video, not fully visible), such situations are always tricky for assistant referees, they can be not ready because already focused to wait what about to happen when ball will go into penalty area. Still, important mistakes at this level, in my opinion.
Deletehttps://streambug.org/cv/30128b
And yes there was also handball, one replay seems clear, but offside before.
Correct decisive PK + 2YC (reckless stamp) by Rumsas in Lisbon. Very clear.
ReplyDeleteCorrect PK given by Nobre in Ajax-Bodo, though wrong disciplinary decision (YC SPA instead of RC DOGSO, holding). Correctly upgraded to RC after OFR
ReplyDelete(Offtopic: Nobre's body language to 'cancel' YC after an OFR is quite sui generis but I like it :D)
Not a penalty signal but only the YC was also remarkable
Deletehttps://streamin.me/v/ce30aef3
DeleteDieperink's factual intervention for 2-1 Qarabag is something i really can't understand. Even if the offside was given on #10 from the free kick, there has to be an OFR for the second incident where #13 collides with the goalkeeper in an offside position after #10 has touched the ball. My words might be harsh but I don't really understand how that would *not* be interfering with an oppenent, especially with RBLRMA on Tuesday in mind
ReplyDeleteIs he (No.10) really touch the ball that made No. 13 in offside position and punishable after he interfering the goalie?
DeleteAs he makes contact with the goalkeeper, I can't see how it would not be interfering tbh
Deletehttps://streamin.me/v/ea6fd53b
DeleteI think that the Dutch VAR assessed the offside as not materialized because #10 Qarabag didn't pass ball, but the offside should have been analyzed because keeper could have played the ball that was close. I think an OFR was needed there.
No, it’s a factual decisions.
DeleteBoth players #13 and #10 are actually standing onside.
Just watch it frame by frame, when the ball has already left the foot of the freekick-taker, #13 is still clearly standing before a Braga player. So, has nothing to do with interfering the goalie (or not). Valid goal.
VAR did not looked at it carefully. When #10 plays the ball #13 who is at that moment in an offside position is blocking the action of goalkeeper, who can not fully make a save as the attacker is in physical contact with him - it is clear impact on GK action. Wrong intervention!
DeleteBig mistake by Dieperink, that's a clear Law11 offence by the offside no13!
DeleteThe Dutch VAR is very bad
DeleteNumber 13 is NOT standing in an offside position when the freekick is taken.
DeleteWatch the video frame-by-frame and pause it on the right moment.
#13 is ONSIDE.
Here the proof: https://ibb.co/3hL2Kbw
DeleteNumber 13 is standing in ONSIDE position.
That’s a 7.9 for the admins
DeleteThe fact you actually can't conceptually follow the discussion where Chefren explicitly addresses this point -- indeed you make the same mistake that he rightly highlights ("I think that the Dutch VAR assessed the offside as not materialized because #10 Qarabag didn't pass ball") -- means that you are more in the 7,7 range for attacking us! :)
DeleteLet's add a further clarification.
DeleteOn the free kick both players are ONSIDE yes!
But we are talking about the next step.
Here:
https://ibb.co/B20YSf2
With #10 touching ball, the #13 in contact with keeper is in a punishable offside.
Mikael W is correct, and this was also the point I was talking about. Dieperink only analized offside from the free kick, which is why intervened, and not when #10 touched the ball to play it around the goalkeeper. This was a mistake from him and should be judged as such by the committee
DeleteAlso, thanks for the picture Chefren
DeleteAlmost perfect Dabanović in Milano. Well done!
ReplyDeleteGood game for both Dabanovic and Petrescu in Milan and Rotterdam. But for sure especially the one in Netherlands was not so challenging as one could have expected! Still, not referees' faults, so congratulations to them!
DeleteRumsas with two penalties, first one after OFR.
ReplyDeletePunishable handball, penalty given after OFR:
https://streamin.me/v/acf1e527
Here it was a good thing at first arm and then head, the contrary (first head and then arm) would have been a trouble to assess, even more regarding the possibility for VAR to consider it clear and obvious mistake.
Second penalty, directly whistled, correct decision:
https://streamin.me/v/1dfe78bd
Shakhtar - Marseille, penalty area incident, decision PLAY ON:
ReplyDeletehttps://streamable.com/l1xz2t
Perfect play on by the belgian ref ;-)
ReplyDeleteA YC for simulation would have been perfect in my opinion, but play on is surely satisfying. Good decision not to fall for the penalty appeal.
DeleteHe was very lucky because he was too far. No wonder he didn't dare to award IFK and give YC to attacker.
DeleteTo be honest I think indeed that he just couldn't decide because too far away, as Anonymous said, and then he played on without having further elements. In this case, whistling simulation and booking attacker is must for me, if you think that it is no penalty (and under this aspect, referee was right).
DeleteToday in Saudi Arabia
ReplyDeleteDamak vs Ash-Shabab
Jesús Valenzuela (Jorge Urrego, Tulio Moreno; VAR Juan Soto)
Al-Akhdoud vs Al-Ahli
Kirill Levnikov (Dmitriy Mosyakin, Yegor Bolkhovitin; VAR Vasiliy Kazartsev)
Also in the Russian stakes, Karasëv has a game in the UAE tomorrow.
DeleteCan I know how to get UAE League/Cup appointment?
DeleteIn which match Karasev will be in charge tomorrow?
DeleteAl-Ain - Wahda
DeleteSergey Karasyov (Maksim Gavrilin, Igor Demeshko, VAR Yevgeniy Turbin)
UAE appointments are posted on UAEFA's X account:
https://twitter.com/uaefa_ae
Why Russian referees are getting matches? But then again, no one should be surprised that similar leaders love each other. Disgrace.
DeleteChallenging Lyon - Nice game with some tricky penalty area incidents to assess for Clément Turpin and VAR... Cyril Gringore (I know France hire some long retired referees like Bré or Coué in VAR role but now they give the role to former AR! - a very different approach comparing to other countries)
ReplyDelete06' - PAI tripping
https://streamable.com/llxpaq
17' - PAI handball
https://streamable.com/7emayo
45' - PAI illegal use of arm
https://streamable.com/mazal7
82' - PAI holding
https://streamable.com/zxinl6
Bonus: management of Ndayishimiye-Lacazette hot duels
https://streamable.com/q99xbu
Well, indeed a very challenging game regarding penalty area incidents. There are arguments in all four cases to whistle a penalty but one can always understand the decision of the referee (and VAR). VAR work should be correct, with so many inputs I think another VAR could have made at least a mistake by intervening in one situation.
DeleteIn 6', for me whistling penalty would have been too much penalizing for defender and rewarding for attacker, in the spiriti of the game, I fully agree with play on. Even more I'm convinced Turpin was aware of that when not whistliing.
Second case: to be supported only if whistled by referee, ball touched another part of body before, otherwise OFR. But still, the arm not in a very totally wide position.
The illegal use of arm was borderline,. something more and VAR would have intervened, and the same can be said for the holding, definitely not significant to call an OFR, but if penalty by referee, it must be accepted.
Bonus clip: a good management by Turpin, including disciplinary sanctions.
Polish commentators were surprised there were no penalties for handball and illegal use of arm. I would opt for penalties in those cases, too. Very difficult for VAR to decide whether to intervene, indeed.
DeletePredictions for next week (VAR in brackets)
ReplyDeleteInter - Atletico: Vincic (Kajtazovic)
Eindhoven - Dortmund: Taylor (Attwell)
Porto - Arsenal: Gil Manzano (Martinez)
Napoli - Barcelona: Oliver (Kwiatkowski)
Rennes - Milan: Soares Dias (Martins)
Freiburg - Lens: Jovanovic (Bebek)
Toulouse - Benfica: Zwayer (Dingert)
Qarabag - Braga: Siebert (Fritz)
Roma - Feyenoord: Jug (Delajod)
Sporting - Bern: Kovacs (Irrati)
Sparta - Galatasaray: Stieler (Dankert)
Marseille - Donetsk: Makkelie (Ruperti)
Gent - Haifa: Mariani (Valeri)
Ludogorets - Servette: Obrenovic (di Paolo)
Dinamo - Betis: Treimanis (Brisard)
Bodo - Ajax: Kabakov (Stoyanov)
Bratislava - Graz: Fesnic (Popa)
Frankfurt - Saint-Gilloise: Strukan (del Cerro Grande)
Ferencvaros - Olympiakos: Pinheiro (Dieperink)
Legia - Molde: Aghayev (Ulusoy)
Roma feyenoord Halil umut meler (Dingert)
ReplyDeleteNapoli Barcelona Oliver (Attwell)
I just found a match of Coupe de France in New Caledonia (Hienghiene), the referee was Nicolas Rainville.
ReplyDelete1. Is the referee also flight +/-25 hours to New Caledonia from France?
2. Who is Nicolas Rainville? I try to search him and found that he’s former FIFA iinm, how can he demoted?
The Coupe de France tournament includes all French overseas territories like New Caledonia, FrenchPolynesia, Reunion, Martinique, so it's normal that you can see a French referee there. Despite of the fact that some of these territories have also a federation and a domestic league, politically they belong to Francee. Rainvillle was FIFA referee, then demoted and he also officiated games in French Ligue 2. Not strange, there are also other names like him!
DeleteThanks chefren, still surprised to see the circumstances for the referee very long flight only to lead “such” (with all due respect) match and then go back home.
Delete