A new format for Europa League as well, with a single league and 8 Matchdays. The first set of MD1 appointments is about the games to be played on 25 September 2024.
Wednesday 25 September 2024
18:45 CET - Alkmaar (AFAS Stadion)
AZ ALKMAAR (NED) - IF ELFSBORG (SWE)
Referee: Juxhin Xhaja ALB
Assistant Referee 1: Arbër Pema ALB
Assistant Referee 2: Rejdi Avdo ALB
Fourth Official: Albert Doda ALB
Video Assistant Referee: Stuart Attwell ENG
Assistant Video Assistant Referee: Peter Bankes ENG
UEFA Referee Observer: Matteo Simone Trefoloni ITA
UEFA Delegate: Michael O’Brien ENG
18:45 CET - Bodø (Aspmyra stadion)
FK BODØ/GLIMT (NOR) - FC PORTO (POR)
Referee: Orel Grinfeld ISR
Assistant Referee 1: Roi Hassan ISR
Assistant Referee 2: Idan Yarkoni ISR
Fourth Official: Gal Leibovitz ISR
Video Assistant Referee: Ziv Adler ISR
Assistant Video Assistant Referee: Eli Hakmon ISR
UEFA Referee Observer: Helmut Fleischer GER
UEFA Delegate: Vignir Már Þormóðsson ISL
21:00 CET - Manchester (Old Trafford)
MANCHESTER UNITED FC (ENG) - FC TWENTE (NED)
Referee: Simone Sozza ITA
Assistant Referee 1: Giovanni Baccini ITA
Assistant Referee 2: Davide Imperiale ITA
Fourth Official: Matteo Marcenaro ITA
Video Assistant Referee: Daniele Chiffi ITA
Assistant Video Assistant Referee: Luca Pairetto ITA
UEFA Referee Observer: Carlos Clos Gómez ESP
UEFA Delegate: Stéphanie Forde BEL
21:00 CET - Istanbul (Ali Sami Yen Spor Kompleksi RAMS Park)
GALATASARAY (TUR) - PAOK (GRE)
Referee: Alejandro José Hernández Hernández ESP
Assistant Referee 1: José Enrique Naranjo Pérez ESP
Assistant Referee 2: Diego Sánchez Rojo ESP
Fourth Official: José Luis Munuera Montero ESP
Video Assistant Referee: Carlos del Cerro Grande ESP
Assistant Video Assistant Referee: Guillermo Cuadra Fernández ESP
UEFA Referee Observer: Alan Mario Sant MLT
UEFA Delegate: Scott Struthers SCO
21:00 CET - Hamburg, GER (Volksparkstadion)
FK DYNAMO KYIV (UKR) - SS LAZIO (ITA)
Referee: Anastásios Sidirópoulos GRE
Assistant Referee 1: Polychrónis Kostarás GRE
Assistant Referee 2: Lázaros Dimitriádis GRE
Fourth Official: Vasílios Fotiás GRE
Video Assistant Referee: Ángelos Evangélou GRE
Assistant Video Assistant Referee: Bram Van Driessche BEL
UEFA Referee Observer: Michal Beneš CZE
UEFA Delegate: Peter Palenčík SVK
21:00 CET - Razgrad (Huvepharma Arena)
PFK LUDOGORETS 1945 (BUL) - SK SLAVIA PRAHA (CZE)
Referee: Jérôme Brisard FRA
Assistant Referee 1: Alexis Auger FRA
Assistant Referee 2: Aurélien Drouet FRA
Fourth Official: Marc Bollengier FRA
Video Assistant Referee: Éric Wattellier FRA
Assistant Video Assistant Referee: Jérémie Pignard FRA
UEFA Referee Observer: John Ward IRL
UEFA Delegate: Łukasz Sojski POL
21:00 CET - Herning (MCH Arena)
FC MIDTJYLLAND (DEN) - TSG 1899 HOFFENHEIM (GER)
Referee: Nenad Minaković SRB
Assistant Referee 1: Nikola Borović SRB
Assistant Referee 2: Boško Božović SRB
Fourth Official: Milan Mitić SRB
Video Assistant Referee: Momčilo Marković SRB
Assistant Video Assistant Referee: Nejc Kajtazovič SVN
UEFA Referee Observer: David Fernández Borbalán ESP
UEFA Delegate: Philippe Prudhon FRA
21:00 CET - Nice (Allianz Riviera)
OGC NICE (FRA) - REAL SOCIEDAD DE FÚTBOL (ESP)
Referee: Morten Krogh Hansen DEN
Assistant Referee 1: Dennis René Wollenberg Rasmussen DEN
Assistant Referee 2: Steffen Beck Bramsen DEN
Fourth Official: Mikkel Hedberg Redder DEN
Video Assistant Referee: Jonas Hedegaard Hansen DEN
Assistant Video Assistant Referee: Tiago Bruno Lopes Martins POR
UEFA Referee Observer: Boško Jovanetić SRB
UEFA Delegate: Paul Daniel Zaharia ROU
21:00 CET - Brussels (Lotto Park)
RSC ANDERLECHT (BEL) - FERENCVÁROSI TC (HUN)
Referee: Julian Weinberger AUT
Assistant Referee 1: Andreas Heidenreich AUT
Assistant Referee 2: Maximilian Kolbitsch AUT
Fourth Official: Stefan Ebner AUT
Video Assistant Referee: Alan Kijas AUT
Assistant Video Assistant Referee: Benoît Millot FRA
UEFA Referee Observer: Edward Foley IRL
UEFA Delegate: Antonio Talarico ITA
Surprised to see Hernandez again so soon after the CL match!
ReplyDeletePossibly a replacement last week or this week and this was his originally planned match?
me too; or may be committee is really unsatisfied by Sanchez Martinez and Gil Manzano's performances and has decided to switch and to invest on another name since this year. Juve-PSV was judged positive bit it was really easy. Galatasaray-PAOK is really the most important and hard match for this matchday.
DeleteSurprised also by Weinberger, a new name from Austria, which needs to develop somebody at top level.
A new name for Austria, indeed, but it seems not an important observer in Brussels..
DeleteWeinberger isn't that new; he already refereed a game in the Europa League last season. Personally, I would see both Gishamer and Ciochirca (who handled the Vienna derby Rapid Vienna - Austria Vienna yesterday and is currently "only" ranked in category 2) in front of him.
DeleteHello Peter, how was Ciochirca's performance in yesterday derby ? I red on italian newspaper about some crash among supporters
DeleteIf you look at the international and national games, Weinberger is clearly better than Ciochirca and, above all, consistently at a good level. Ciochirca's serious mistakes in his UEFA matches this year in the autumn and his “standing” in Austria alone make the claim that he is better than Weinberger ridiculous. For me, Weinberger is even better than Gishamer, as he is much more powerful. In addition, Gishamer was lucky to have found a supporter in Herbert Fandel. However, with the exception of invitations to officiate friendly matches, he has so far been denied any big games.
DeleteWhat's the obsession with Rossetti always sending Italian referees to Manchester United games? 🤔
ReplyDeleteI don’t understand why they give a “super talent” like Sozza a game that can potentially be very one-sided.
DeleteSomething must have happened with Gil Manzano. He is also out from La Liga sincethe end of August, so one can very likely think he is injured- Not the same for Sanchez Martinez who officiated yesterday, so it sounds definitely strange two games for Hernandez Hernandez but no game for him (unless we will see him tomorrow, but I rather don't think about a fourth Spanish assignment in a so short time).
ReplyDeleteNice game for Sozza in Manchester, but if you ask me, not a very big one. Now it's time to make experience as Category 1.
Extremely important game for the Albanian referee in Alkmaar with Trefoloni.
Gil Manzano got injured at the fitness tests in UEFA seminar in Switzerland and will be out until at least early November.
ReplyDeleteSo I guess it's understandable the focus on Hernández Hernández. Juventus - PSV last week was a walk in the park for the Canarian, one could expect Galatasaray - PAOK to be the opposite.
Important games for Xhaja, Sozza & Minaković, possible tests before CL debut. Old Trafford for the Italian, two relatively important observers (Trefoloni & Borbalán) for the Albanian and the Serb.
Regular appointments for "de-facto-demoted-from-Elite" Grinfeld & Sidiropoulos, also for Krogh & Brisard. EL game for Weinberger, despite refcom apparently focusing more on Gishamer/Ciochirca recently.
Confirmed no appointment for Sanchez Martinez in UEFA this week, he will officiate a La Liga game on Thursday.
DeleteIt's interesting that he didn't get games while Hernandez Hernandez two. Maybe he failed the fitness tests like Gil Manzano?
No, Sánchez Martínez didn't fail the fitness tests, remember he got appointed to Republic of Ireland vs England game in the last Nations League window.
DeleteToday in Saudi King's Cup
ReplyDeleteAl-Hazm - An-Nassr
Daniel Siebert - Jan Seidel, Rafael Foltyn
(Harm Osmers)
So, at least two of UEFA elite referees (Marciniak and Gil Manzano) got injured during the fitness test plus a few more referees failed. Why is the fitness test so demanding to make the best referees miss at least a few match days in UEFA competition?
ReplyDeletehttps://www.relevo.com/futbol/uefa-pone-ejemplo-mano-cucurella-20240922190133-nt.html
ReplyDeleteAccording to this source, the Cucurella handball in the EURO QF is assessed as penalty by UEFA.
"However, more than two months later, the UEFA Referees' Committee has told the international referees that there was a mistake in that play and it should have ended in a penalty. This instruction has been included in the latest review by the body, which periodically analyses European matches - whether at national team or club level - that it considers interesting in order to homogenise the criteria and ensure that referees make the same decisions on similar plays.
In the document, to which Relevo has had access, the institutional body is blunt in its explanations: there was an error both in the on-field refereeing, which did not signal the penalty after the Spanish player's handball, and in the VAR, for not entering the play that could have ended in a penalty, as the German team claimed.
‘Following the latest UEFA guidelines, handball contact that stops a shot on goal should be punished more strictly, and in most cases a penalty kick should be awarded, unless the defender's arm is very close to the body or over the body,’ the comment camp said. ‘In this case, the defender stops the shot on goal with his arm, which is not very close to the body, making it larger, so a penalty kick should have been awarded,’ they add. However, the European refereeing authorities do not consider that Marc Cucurella should have been given a yellow card: ‘No disciplinary action is required,’ they concluded.
The same criteria should also have been included in the match report that the appointed UEFA observer, in this case the president of the Referees Committee, Roberto Rosetti, drew up for the game and which the referees involved in the match received, as usual, with a score for the match. That match between the recent European champions and the tournament hosts in Stuttgart resulted in two incidents - signalled by the referees - and the referees' score."
Yes, the same was said recently by Damir Skomina in Croatian TV channel where he is doing weekly refereeing analysis.
DeleteRegarding the logic, I have been saying this for years in this blog and Im happy that finally the direction of the ball towards the goal is again taken into account.
"According to this source, the Cucurella handball in the EURO QF is assessed as penalty by UEFA."
DeleteThere is confirmation coming from many referees that it is actually assessed as PK on the last UEFA seminar.
Maybe a special edition of RAP for EURO 2024 is about to be released?
DeleteThis amuses me. In England, we're told that the game expects this to be deemed as natural. Referees don't want to give this, fans don't want it, and Webb regularly states how they've spoken to players and managers who don't want as many handballs given. So the question is who wants it to be punishable? If the PL's international players and managers don't, the officials don't, and the fans don't, who wants this to be illegal? Is there really such a different demand and viewpoint in every other country?!
DeleteWho wants this to be illegal? Italians, obviously :-)
DeleteForlan, I don't think this is something one organisation should be doing. This is a key part of the rules that should be decided by the IFAB.
DeleteWould be nicer, if such interpretation came publicly from UEFA instead via indirect sources...
DeleteDFB actually has given a slightly different interpretation recently, which also judges the Cucurella handball as punishable.
According to them, if a player's overall intention of an action is to block the ball, the player must take care, that he doesn't touch the ball with arms increasing the body surface. If he does, it is an offence.
On contrary, if the overall action is an attempt to actively play the ball, e.g. in an air challenge or in a sliding tackle, a ball contact with the extended arm can be tolerated (if there are no signs of a deliberate handball, of course).
I don't know, whether the UEFA instructions are basically the same or whether there exist differences.
Chefren,What do you think appointments Galatasaray-Paok match referee Alejandro Hernandez?
ReplyDeleteI didn't expect him again after having been appointed in CL on last week, that's a very particular choice by committee.
DeleteGil Manzano is out for injury while it seems at moment Sanchez Martinez doesn't have the committee favour.... so you have Hernandez Hernandez. The management of him in recent times has been very difficult to analyze, mostly not used and almost never in Chmpions, but being Spain nr. 3 for a very long time, has ensured him a certain reputation regardless of how he performed. Surely a more experienced referee than Eskas who got the famous Galatasaray - Young Boys. Hernandez Hernandez did very well in Juventus - PSV but this was a very easy game to officiate, if compared to the possible expectations. I think the game of the Turkish side against the Greek will be more challenging and maybe very hot. For sure, a good occasion for him to show his skills again, trying to gain more reputation, and maybe trying even to become Spain nr. 2 or nr 1.
We know that the appointments announced today were made 20 days ago.It is as if Sanchez Martinez appointed for first this match,but after he injured,could this match have been given to Hernandez?I noticed that the referee committe constantly assigning elite referees to Galatasaray's matches.What do you think about this?
ReplyDeleteThere can be surely changes, when the observers appeared in the early days of September,, the tests at the Summer Course were not still made by all referees, but on paper it's also possible that Hernandez Hernandez was originally already planned for both games (hard to believe, though).
DeleteGalatasaray is clearly treated as big team, as they are, and the atmosphere at stadium is somehing very challenging, that's why quite often we see Elite referees appointed for their games.
Chefren,rest assured,Galatasaray is a big team and UEFA knows this too.
ReplyDeleteAlso,there are Europa League 2nd week matches next week.Have the referees been appointed for these matches?Do you have information about this?
ReplyDeleteYes.
DeleteToday, also La Gazzetta dello Sport here reports the information about UEFA official assessment for the famous handball. Different because blocking a shot on goal and for this reason to be assessed with more severity than a handball in the midfield. That's exactly how handballs are seen in Italy by fans and expected to be whistled, differently from cultures like Germany and England.
ReplyDeleteIt's only strange that UEFA needed a so long time before taking a position, but yes, it's clear, they didn't want to say that before and they were in big embarrassment with Germany for what had happened...
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ReplyDeleteWhen I review the Cucurella handball as an isolated incident, for me a play-on is completely fine.
ReplyDeleteHowever, we already saw an incident punished by Oliver/VAR in R16 - somewhere on the edge of the box, a bit unlucky. If that one was punished, you have to punish the Cucurella handball as well. For the sake of uniformity during a tournament.
But in general I’m totally fine with a more soft lenient approach regarding handballs. As stated above, players don’t want it, fans don’t want it. Just the Italians want it, but Europe is not Italy.
In hindsight, it is 100% clear why Zwayer was pushed into the EURO semi-finals :)
I dont agree with comments that say that everyone likes this lenient approach, I think it has been under a rather strong criticism from many people from and around football in Europe because it is too arbitrary and it is very difficult to reach consistency, which is something everyone hates.
ReplyDeleteTherefore I these changes will ultimately be welcomed, even though I would prefer more strict approach also in some other situations.
Elfsborg GK asked for a foul on him in the AZ equaliser, IMO correct by Xhaja to play on and allow the goal.
ReplyDeleteVery good 2YC for Diving by Grinfeld in Norway.
ReplyDeletehttps://dubz.co/c/950db6
Very good decision, but Grinfeld could have shown more calmness while issuing this second YC. Quite hectic, that's something we can like because the simulation was very blatant, but UEFA doesn't want to see a referee emphasizing the gesture..
DeleteFully agree, in last years he became very hectic and it doesn't look good. I watch him a lot in domestic matches, and it feels like he tries to explain every decision with unnecessary gestures and hectic behaviour.
DeleteSoft penalty for AZ but probably not VAR stuff
ReplyDeleteCorrect or at least supportable penalty whistled by Xhaja and now another crucial call right with a disallowed goal by AR1.
ReplyDeleteVideo. I also think it could be soft, but IMO PK is the expected decision and definitely supportable.
Deletehttps://dubz.link/c/6e1a65
Now a red card for DOGSO by the Albanian referee, it turns into a challenging game. I think you can assess this decision as more than supportable, but yellow card in my opinion wouldn't have been questioned by VAR.
ReplyDeleteFor me clear DOGSO, AZ player was going one on one with the keeper
DeleteI think Xhaja took the expected decision (again), but in this case should have been worthy of an OFR in case of YC, despite the ball direction in the end.
DeleteClip: https://dubz.co/c/8d4065
I think that the other couple of players in the middle and the fact that it wasn't a central attack, leave some options for YC, but from the field, absolutely agree, that's red card once you whistle. In my opinion a good attitude in both incidents, to take big decisions without hesitation.
DeleteSozza show is started
ReplyDeleteVery soft yellowcard by Twente defender.
After Marseille Ajax last year a lot of critisism about his referee skills.
I hope that he dont take the spot this match
In Nice penalty after OFR by Krogh. Very evident holding on a corner kick, as always, very hard for referee to spot the incident in the middle of penalty area with many players. The action is absolutely clear and it justifies the call by VAR, one can't have doubts.
ReplyDeleteCorrect PK by Weinberger in Brussels, careless trip.
ReplyDeleteSidiropoulos missed a very clear RC for SFP, he also missed the foul, I'm not watching the full game, but commentator reporting he didn't whistle at all.
ReplyDelete2YC for reckless elbow by Weinberger.
ReplyDeletehttps://dubz.co/c/f38d16
Also, RC for VC by Sidiropoulos in Dynamo Kyiv-Lazio
https://dubz.co/c/e64f55
Good work from the AR for the lazio red card
Delete2yc is extremely soft. Verging on wrong
DeletePersonally the players 1st caution is also incorrect
DeleteFor me it's a second yellow card... for the first. I'm agree it's not clear and obvious but it's not a mistake
DeleteVery good the assistant referee spotting violent conduct in Dynamo Kyiv - Lazio, that's absolutely stupid from a player winning 3-0 the game, so absolutely unexpected.
DeleteAbout the second YC in Anderlecht - Ferencvaros, the player simulated for sure a more serious hit on face and it wasn't. In my opinion, only foul would have been OK, but such situations are extremely difficult to read from the pitch, you can easily think about something more. Also, the perception of a player trying to start a new action and stopped in that way, can contribute to issue the card. For me, it's harsh to say to a referee that he was wrong when assessing a similar incident, but the yellow card seems to be rather a mistake for the attitude of the fouled player.
Here the missed foul by Sidiropoulos and the OFR for RC for SFP:
Deletehttps://dubz.co/c/ce965c
From a technical point of view, we are at the borders of a violent conduct, because, before trying his action, player is aware and sees that the leg of opponent is there in that position, but he makes that action, he should have avoided. One could even say he did this deliberately but no 100% of evidence, in all cases, a very clear, at least, SFP.
Anything relevant on individual performances tonight? (Krogh, Minakovic, Sozza...)
ReplyDeleteI always watch a simulcast in UE(C)L stages, so when it comes to refereeing I can only see KMIs or very specific situations :D
Minakovic in Denmark:
DeleteOnce again a good performance from the Serb and now we can say that he has entered a very good streak.
Of course, in this match there were minor mistakes and the "biggest one" is when he awarded one counter foul.
But, I saw a lot of positive things tonight, and have feeling he has a lot of potential to be a top elite referee. Among others, most important situation on the match was in 36': Excellent decision that there is no penalty for the home team.Live it looked like pure PK. The situation gains additional weight when you take into account that the home player who was in the duel and asked for a penalty already had a yellow card. IMO, there are no simulation elements, especially not for PK. I guess the second assistant referee helped in that situation.
When we talk about the assistant referees, they were really accurate in all the decisions. AR2 in particular had a lot of work to do, not so much in terms of the quality of offside situations, but yes in terms of quantity.
Minakovic showed Top fitness again, full control of the match and several strong and effective preventions during game breaks that resulted in the players stopping pulling and pushing into the penalty area.
In the end, I get the impression that Minakovic has matured a lot as a referee, in previous years he was able to vary with consistency, last season was a serious shift for the better in terms of stability, and this season he seems to have entered his best mode so far and on the right track.
Hope that spanish observer share my opinion.
Agree, but for me 2 missed YC, the one for Hoffenheim, SPA/holding, where in the end he actually gave a FK for Hoffenheim instead of Midtjylland. And the second one right at the end where the Midtjylland player jumped into the Hoffenheim goalkeeper, YC because of the intensity imo. Also 2 injury situations not solved ideally. But it has to be said that it was an easy game, basically no hard tackles at all.
DeleteWell, Man Utd - Twente wasn’t a one-sided game. However, I want to underline that it was an extremely safe appointment for Sozza. Particularly because of the mutual respect between the coaches and players (Twente is the former club of the Man Utd manager). So, you know on beforehand that it is by no means a high “risk” game (one where the referee is likely to be blamed for a loss/draw), due to the mutual respect between both sides.
ReplyDeleteIn general I notice that Rosetti is veeeery picky and careful when it comes to appointsment of “his” Italian referees. He knows very well which games are most risky for referees and which are not. You can tell he’s doing everything he can to i) get an Italian on board for WC 2026 ii) Giving Sozza a safe journey in his way to European top. A bit tooooo safe, maybe?