Thursday, 9 May 2024

Europa Conference League 2023/24 - Referee Appointments - Semifinals (II)

2023-24 Europa Conference League Semifinals. Referee appointments for Second Legs. 


Wednesday 8 May 2024

18:45 CET - Bruges (Jan Breydelstadion)
Club Brugge (BEL) - ACF Fiorentina (ITA)
Referee: Halil Umut Meler TUR 
Assistant Referee 1: Mustafa Emre Eyisoy TUR
Assistant Referee 2: Kerem Ersoy TUR 
Fourth Official: Irfan Peljto BIH
Video Assistant Referee: Marco Fritz GER
Assistant Video Assistant Referee: Alper Ulusoy TUR
UEFA Referee Observer: Bernardino González Vázquez ESP
UEFA Delegate: Iain Blair SCO

Thursday 9 May 2024

21:00 CET - Piraeus (Stadio Georgios Karaiskakis)
Olymbiakós SFP (GRE) - Aston Villa FC (ENG) 
Referee: Felix Zwayer GER
Assistant Referee 1: Stefan Lupp GER 
Assistant Referee 2: Marco Achmüller GER
Fourth Official: Glenn Nyberg SWE
Video Assistant Referee: Bastian Dankert GER
Assistant Video Assistant Referee: Tiago Martins POR 
UEFA Referee Observer: Rune Pedersen NOR 
UEFA Delegate: Fernand Meese BEL

39 comments:

  1. Deserved semifinal for the Turkish referee.
    A particular remark about the VAR assignment, Ulusoy is called as VAR for EURO, but in this Conference Game he will work only as AVAR.
    My idea is that Rosetti wants to be sure with Italian teams, now he trusts more Turkish VAR than past, but not 100% and for this reason he selected Fritz to work with Meler. There shouldn't be other explanations.

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    1. I think Rosetti has a point there about Turkish VAR's :) I wasn't surprised for Meler's call for Euro but honestly I am very surprised to see Ulusoy there.
      Meler's last 3 matches are Lazio-Celtic(CL), Milan-Slavia(UEL, R16), Liverpool-Atalanta(UEL,QF). And now Brugge-Fiorentina.
      It seems like Meler has a good reputation with Italian teams. This should be a positive thing considering the RefCom's attention to Italian teams :) Also very risky, I must admit.

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  2. The most complicated VAR moment in Eredivisie this season.
    FC Volendam - Ajax.
    https://youtu.be/rYOEBt-MBnY?t=3

    Mirani is knocked down by Rulli in the penalty area. foul play or not?
    Before that, is Mirani's interference offside?
    And before that, should Kaplan's deliberate play reset the offside situation?

    Although I still don't fully agree with the implementation of the deliberate play rule, it still makes sense that if he was unable to control the ball due to a duel with an opposing player, it will be determined that the play was not deliberate. At least they were consistent on this point and got the correct decision: offside.

    Applause to Alex Bos and Erwin Blank.

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  3. Minhas previsões para os jogos de volta da Liga Europa:

    Bayer Leverkusen x Roma - Glenn Nyberg
    Atalanta x Olympique Marseille - Felix Zwayer

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  4. Ricardo de Burgos Bengoetxea (Iker de Francisco Grijalba, Raúl Cabañero Martinez - Radu Marian Petrescu) will handle Al-Ahli Jiddah - Al-Hilal Riyadh today at 20:00 CET.

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  5. Zwayer was a candidate for Conference League final, now he shouldn't handle it after this appointment. But he was expected for another game given the very good KO stage he had.
    Particular to see the Portuguese VAR with Dankert, this can be indeed compensation to Portugal after a very few assignments for Soares Dias.

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  6. so, predictions for the finals:

    UCL - Slavko VINČIĆ
    UEL - István KOVÁCS
    UECL - François LETEXIER (or Artur Manuel SOARES DIAS)

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    1. Can I ask why you think about Soares Dias, given the treatment by committe, and even more, compared to a name like Letexier for a final?

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    2. Why is Nyberg not an option for UECL final?

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    3. Letexier has a one final in this season, second final will be a too much...

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  7. I also think it will be Vincic, Kovacs and Soares Dias for the finals.

    All referees who are selected for the EURO have been appointed in the semifinals either as referee or 4O.

    The only ones who have not been appointed yet are the three names above. I think the majority agrees that after the appointments made in the SF Vincic and Kovacs are most likely selected for UCL and UEL finals.

    So that leaves us with the UECL final. If another referee than Soares Dias has been selected, he would be the only one without an appointment besides he has been selected for the EURO. That would be quite surprising. Imho.

    And to be clear I don't want to discuss if these predictions would be justified by perfomance principle or not. I'm just looking at the facts who has been appointed yet and who not. :-)

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    1. Very good remark about the missing names. This gives us a clue, but in my opinion the appointment of Soares Dias for Conference League wouldn't have a sense at moment, given how he was managed by committee. Very strange and many other referees deserving it more than him. Maybe there are other factors, like the age and maybe a close end of carrer, but still I can't see argument justifying this choice at moment.
      Nothing against Soares Dias, of course, but first of all, to get this achievement, he should have been assigned to more games, or maybe more relevant games. Can't see that a referee is "protected" for Conference League final, it's not Champons League...

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  8. Just for curiosity's sake, it's the first semi-final of an international competition in Felix's career. He had never made it to the semis. In other competitions:
    UCL: round of 16
    UEL: quarters

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    Replies
    1. We can say that this goal for him took place a bit late, if compared to what he has achieved so far, surely a reason behind that is the very particular management of German Elite referees by committee. Brych at first, then Siebert and Zwayer in the background. Only in relatively recent times, Zwayer can be clearly seen as nr. 1. Now, it will be interesting to see, with Siebert who attended more big tournaments than him, what will happen at EURO, but still, Zwayer should be considered the home country main name, I would say.

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    2. I hope Chefren, we'll see how it goes in June.

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  9. When will the referees for the finals be announced?

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    Replies
    1. Maybe a week after the semis, last year was like that

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  10. Who can be the fourth official in the final?

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  11. I like the way Meler referees the game so far. Risky style but majority of decisions correct and making for an exciting game

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    1. Yes, Italians complaining a lot (as is Hans Vanacken, as usual). But he is managing it well, and doesn't have an impact on the game. But he has to stay aware of it and keep it under control. Showing cards if necessary.

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  12. Soft YC for BRU99. I understand from a management standpoint and it looked ugly live. But I think in spirit of the 2nd half, and the not so serious nature, a verbal warning might have been a better option. The sureness and directness of the showing of the card was on the other hand very good. Assertive and direct.

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  13. Correct YC now for BRU10. Clear holding just outside of penalty area of the ball.

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  14. Now penalty in 83'.

    Correct decision without VAR.

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    Replies
    1. The English commentators said it was very harsh but IMO it would have been a clear FK if it had happened elsewhere on the FoP. Supportable call for me and correct for VAR to stay silent.

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  15. I must say that Meler showed once again that he is an excellent referee!

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    1. +1. His UEFA games were at the top this season, and his law-enforcer style is a breathe of fresh air.
      One must also underline the FORMIDABLE mental strength shown to maintain such level after being assaulted (!!!) last december.

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  16. Wrong offside signal in minute 95.

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    1. But It would have been corrected by VAR in case.

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    2. but now Club Brugge was denied a corner (i.e. a chance).

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  17. Very good performance by Meler, IMO. Courageous, spot-on and very active on the pitch to prevent/manage incidents.

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  18. The last minutes of this game must be Watched for understanding what is strong refereeing. Méler is probably different Referee than what UEFA expects to see in a modern referee, but that's absolutely the key of his success. Excellent management of the benches as well... With Peljto they are similar referees. Zero tollerance, you don't see that from all referees. The Turkish Beared an incredible pressure.

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  19. Do you think Meler will act as the fourth official in one of the three finals?

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    1. Yes, maybe even CL final, I think this would be deserved appointment.

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    2. For me UCL final 4th official should be someone who will have it fairly soon, Kovacs? Has he been fourth? Assuming he doesn;t have the EL final that is.

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    3. Yes, Kovacs was the fourth oficial, last year, in Champions League final, with Marciniak team.

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  20. Penalty given: https://www.streambug.io/cv/2f296b
    Added time: https://www.streambug.io/cv/52dad2

    Good performance by Meler and the key call was 100% right but I wouldn't deem the performance as soooo good as the other comments (too many misassessed duels over the course of the, until stoppage time, normal-difficulty game). Fiorentina should have been awarded another penalty at +93' btw though I can understand why Fritz stayed silent, ironically maybe Ulusoy might have intervened.

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  21. Well, i could be wrong, but this appointment of Tiago Martins as AVAR could mean a final for Soares Dias this year. It would be a strange management for the portuguese, but a smart one, away from the spotlights. Probably Dankert would act as AVAR for Martins in that final i think.

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  22. No comment at all about Zwayer game is a very good thing for him :)
    Excellent KO stage for the German, he couldd have officiated a final.

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    Replies
    1. Zwayer had a final. It was National League final last year between Spain and Croatia. So, it only could be Conference League final, because in the CL is Borussia and in the EL is Bayer.

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