2024/25 UEFA Europa Conference League, referee appointments for MD5.
Thursday 12 December 2024
14:00 CET - Kópavogur (Kópavogsvöllur)
VÍKINGUR REYKJAVÍK (ISL) - DJURGÅRDENS IF (SWE)
Referee: Luka Bilbija BIH
Assistant Referee 1: Damir Lazić BIH
Assistant Referee 2: Amer Macić BIH
Fourth Official: Dragan Petrović BIH
Video Assistant Referee: Mario Zebec CRO
Assistant Video Assistant Referee: Nihad Ljajić BIH
UEFA Referee Observer: Mark Steven Whitby WAL
UEFA Delegate: Jean-Paul Mievis BEL
16:30 CET - Almaty (Almaty Ortalyq stadiony)
ASTANA FK (KAZ) - CHELSEA FC (ENG)
Referee: Sven Jablonski GER
Assistant Referee 1: Lasse Koslowski GER
Assistant Referee 2: Marco Achmüller GER
Fourth Official: Tobias Reichel GER
Video Assistant Referee: Pascal Müller GER
Assistant Video Assistant Referee: Katrin Rafalski GER
UEFA Referee Observer: Petteri Kari FIN
UEFA Delegate: Mirosław Ryszka POL
18:45 CET - Copenhagen (Parken)
FC KØBENHAVN (DEN) - HEART OF MIDLOTHIAN FC (SCO)
Referee: Andrea Colombo ITA
Assistant Referee 1: Ciro Carbone ITA
Assistant Referee 2: Giorgio Peretti ITA
Fourth Official: Simone Sozza ITA
Video Assistant Referee: Luca Pairetto ITA
Assistant Video Assistant Referee: Valerio Marini ITA
UEFA Referee Observer: Alberto Undiano Mallenco ESP
UEFA Delegate: Targo Kaldoja EST
18:45 CET - Florence (Stadio Artemio Franchi)
ACF FIORENTINA (ITA) - LASK LINZ (AUT)
Referee: Balázs Berke HUN
Assistant Referee 1: Vencel Tóth HUN
Assistant Referee 2: Balázs Szert HUN
Fourth Official: Sándor Andó-Szabó HUN
Video Assistant Referee: István Vad HUN
Assistant Video Assistant Referee: Eszter Urbán HUN
UEFA Referee Observer: Gediminas Mažeika LTU
UEFA Delegate: Mert Tuncay TUR
18:45 CET - Istanbul (Başakşehir Fatih Terim Stadyumu)
RAMS BAŞAKŞEHİR FK (TUR) - 1. FC HEIDENHEIM 1846 (GER)
Referee: Marco Guida ITA
Assistant Referee 1: Davide Imperiale ITA
Assistant Referee 2: Alessio Berti ITA
Fourth Official: Gianluca Manganiello ITA
Video Assistant Referee: Paolo Silvio Mazzoleni ITA
Assistant Video Assistant Referee: Daniele Paterna ITA
UEFA Referee Observer: Edward Foley IRL
UEFA Delegate: Mark Bos NED
18:45 CET - Warsaw (Stadion Miejski Legii Warszawa im. Marszałka Józefa Piłsudskiego)
LEGIA WARSZAWA (POL) - FC LUGANO (SUI)
Referee: Juan Martínez Munuera ESP
Assistant Referee 1: Iker de Francisco Grijalba ESP
Assistant Referee 2: Iván Massó Granado ESP
Fourth Official: Mario Melero López ESP
Video Assistant Referee: José Luis Munuera Montero ESP
Assistant Video Assistant Referee: Adrián Cordero Vega ESP
UEFA Referee Observer: Iain Robertson Brines SCO
UEFA Delegate: Artur Azaryan ARM
18:45 CET - Helsinki (Bolt Arena)
HJK HELSINKI (FIN) - MOLDE FK (NOR)
Referee: Atilla Karaoğlan TUR
Assistant Referee 1: Ceyhun Sesigüzel TUR
Assistant Referee 2: Abdullah Bora Özkara TUR
Fourth Official: Çağdaş Altay TUR
Video Assistant Referee: Erkan Engin TUR
Assistant Video Assistant Referee: Onur Özütoprak TUR
UEFA Referee Observer: Pavel Salii KAZ
UEFA Delegate: Charles Anthony Robba GIB
18:45 CET - Ljubljana (Stadion Stožice)
NK OLIMPIJA LJUBLJANA (SVN) - CERCLE BRUGGE KSV (BEL)
Referee: Adam Ladebäck SWE
Assistant Referee 1: Niklas Nyberg SWE
Assistant Referee 2: Daniel Yng SWE
Fourth Official: Oscar Johnson SWE
Video Assistant Referee: Robert Schröder GER
Assistant Video Assistant Referee: Patrick Hanslbauer GER
UEFA Referee Observer: Asim Xudiyev AZE
UEFA Delegate: Damien Mollard SUI
18:45 CET - Chișinău (Stadionul Zimbru)
FC PETROCUB (MDA) - REAL BETIS BALOMPIÉ (ESP)
Referee: Lothar D’Hondt BEL
Assistant Referee 1: Romain Devillers BEL
Assistant Referee 2: Nico Claes BEL
Fourth Official: Simon Bourdeaud’hui BEL
Video Assistant Referee: Jan Boterberg BEL
Assistant Video Assistant Referee: Bert Put BEL
UEFA Referee Observer: Michael Thomas Ross NIR
UEFA Delegate: Lambriní Dimitríou GRE
18:45 CET - Sumqayıt, AZE (Mehdi Hüseynzadə adına Sumqayıt Şəhər Stadionu)
FK DYNAMA-MINSK (BLR) - LARNE FC (NIR)
Referee: Saiat Qarabaev KAZ
Assistant Referee 1: Aleksei Dolgih KAZ
Assistant Referee 2: Dmitrii Belogradov KAZ
Fourth Official: Aidyn Tasybaev KAZ
Video Assistant Referee: Jeroen Manschot NED
Assistant Video Assistant Referee: Daniiar Sahi KAZ
UEFA Referee Observer: Gunnar Jarl Jónsson ISL
UEFA Delegate: Giorgi Katsitadze GEO
18:45 CET - Yerevan (Vazgen Sargsyan anvan Hanrapetakan Marzadasht)
NOA FA (ARM) - APOEL (CYP)
Referee: Miloš Milanović SRB
Assistant Referee 1: Milan Pašajlić SRB
Assistant Referee 2: Novak Novaković SRB
Fourth Official: Milan Ilić SRB
Video Assistant Referee: Momčilo Marković SRB
Assistant Video Assistant Referee: Novak Simović SRB
UEFA Referee Observer: Marco Borg MLT
UEFA Delegate: Engli Kokona ALB
KAA GENT (BEL) - FK TSC BAČKA TOPOLA (SRB)
Referee: Ashot Ghaltakhchyan ARM
Assistant Referee 1: Mesrop Ghazaryan ARM
Assistant Referee 2: Atom Sevgulyan ARM
Fourth Official: Henrik Nalbandyan ARM
Video Assistant Referee: Zaven Hovhannisyan ARM
Assistant Video Assistant Referee: Artem Gasparyan ARM
UEFA Referee Observer: Jon Eilif Skjervold NOR
UEFA Delegate: Luis Cuervas del Real ESP
21:00 CET - Nicosia (Stádio GSP)
AS OMÓNIA LEFKOSÍAS (CYP) - SK RAPID WIEN (AUT)
Referee: Daniel Stefański POL
Assistant Referee 1: Dawid Golis POL
Assistant Referee 2: Michał Obukowicz POL
Fourth Official: Damian Sylwestrzak POL
Video Assistant Referee: Piotr Lasyk POL
Assistant Video Assistant Referee: Krzysztof Myrmus POL
UEFA Referee Observer: Augustus Viorel Constantin ROU
UEFA Delegate: Jan Kořínek CZE
21:00 CET - Dublin (Tallaght Stadium)
SHAMROCK ROVERS FC (IRL) - FK BORAC BANJA LUKA (BIH)
Referee: Stefan Ebner AUT
Assistant Referee 1: Robert Steinacher AUT
Assistant Referee 2: Martin Höfler AUT
Fourth Official: Julian Weinberger AUT
Video Assistant Referee: Manuel Schüttengruber AUT
Assistant Video Assistant Referee: Sara Telek AUT
UEFA Referee Observer: Marián Ružbarský SVK
UEFA Delegate: Vignir Már Þormóðsson ISL
21:00 CET - Shrewsbury (The Croud Meadow)
THE NEW SAINTS FC (WAL) - PANATHINAÏKÓS AO (GRE)
Referee: Oliver Reitala FIN
Assistant Referee 1: Jukka Honkanen FIN
Assistant Referee 2: OIli Jantunen FIN
Fourth Official: Antti Munukka FIN
Video Assistant Referee: Gianluca Aureliano ITA
Assistant Video Assistant Referee: Rosario Abisso ITA
UEFA Referee Observer: Robert Sedlacek AUT
UEFA Delegate: Cristiano Ascari SMR
21:00 CET - Mladá Boleslav (Lokotrans Aréna)
FK MLADÁ BOLESLAV (CZE) - JAGIELLONIA BIAŁYSTOK (POL)
Referee: David Dickinson SCO
Assistant Referee 1: Francis Connor SCO
Assistant Referee 2: Jonathan Bell SCO
Fourth Official: Ross Hardie SCO
Video Assistant Referee: Kevin Clancy SCO
Assistant Video Assistant Referee: Greg Aitken SCO
UEFA Referee Observer: Vadims Direktorenko LVA
UEFA Delegate: Quanyş Qanapiianov KAZ
21:00 CET - St. Gallen (Kybunpark)
FC ST. GALLEN 1879 (SUI) - VITÓRIA SC (POR)
Referee: Nicholas Walsh SCO
Assistant Referee 1: David McGeachie SCO
Assistant Referee 2: Calum Spence SCO
Fourth Official: Christopher Graham SCO
Video Assistant Referee: Donald Robertson SCO
Assistant Video Assistant Referee: Alan Muir SCO
UEFA Referee Observer: Barış Şimşek TUR
UEFA Delegate: Ivan Lekov BUL
21:00 CET - Limassol (Alphamega Stadium)
PAFOS FC (CYP) - NK CELJE (SVN)
Referee: Paweł Raczkowski POL
Assistant Referee 1: Marcin Boniek POL
Assistant Referee 2: Radosław Siejka POL
Fourth Official: Marcin Szczerbowicz POL
Video Assistant Referee: Paweł Pskit POL
Assistant Video Assistant Referee: Wojciech Myć POL
UEFA Referee Observer: Gevorg Hovhannisyan ARM
UEFA Delegate: Efraim Barak ISR
SHAMROCK ROVERS FC - FK BORAC BANJA LUKA with the missing referee and Robert Steinacher/Martin Höfler as assistant referees could indicate the debut of Stefan Ebner who handled Salzburg - Rapid in Austria's Bundesliga with them last weekend.
ReplyDeleteWould be well deserved. Showed good performances at his last games on international and also national level. Salzburg - Rapid was quite challenging last weekend and he did well. For sure he is one of the Austrian promises for the future
ReplyDeleteIf you ask me, he has far more potential then some austrian referees UEFA has focus in this moment.
DeleteIn my opinion, UEFA currently does not have any Austrian referees specifically in focus. Jakob Semler seems to me to be a referee with a great personality, as far as I know him from TV appearances. In any case, the current Austrian Europa League referees don't seem to me to be on the verge of making it to the Champions League.
DeleteJakob Semler did only referee 10 games in Top division here in Austria, so I think it‘s very early to speak about a great personality in refereeing a top game - he never handled one in national competition.
DeleteBut of course you are right, Austrian referees and development are far behind at the moment. It has - of course - to do with politics in UEFA (unfortunately we are not Slovenia), but also with the education and development of the referees here in Austria. Kassai didn‘t deliver so far, what was expected when signing him. I also think that he focused on the wrong referees (Ciochirca, Gishamer), who confirm at their matches in European competitions. As aforementioned Weinberger (cat. 1), Ebner (2nd year as FIFA referee) and also Semler (new FIFA in 2025) are for sure top referees, which have the potential to still develope on UEFA-top-level. If one of them can bring it to Champions League, we will see, but of course they also need to be supported from UEFA…
By "strong personality" I was referring to his rhetoric and his positive charisma in interviews. Last year I was live in the stadium at his debut in the Bundesliga. After that, I didn't follow his further matches more closely. In any case, I don't think Gishamer is a future Elite referee and Weinberger was never particularly in focus at UEFA (nomination at least for a youth tournament).
DeleteCouldn't agree more with both of you...
DeleteI'm really sorry for the issues with missing names. UEFA should be aware, but it seems difficult to solve.
ReplyDeleteVery expected debut for Colombo in Conference League. He is the future Italian Elite, with important chances on paper to achieve more than one big tournament. Let's write and remember my words.
ReplyDeleteGuida back in Conference League after the mistake he made in Madid more than a month ago, I think he paid enough for that.
Interesting that Daniel Stefański is given the very last UEFA game despite of the incredible mistake as VAR in Nations League, but the fact that this was the end of career surely played a role. Could have easily been a top game in Europa League for him, but it will be only this one in Conference.
Second Armenian referee after the famous son of observer, I don't know that much Ghaltakhchyan and it will be interesting to watch his game if possible. Also, another referee from Kazakhstan, this should mean that Rosetti rather tries to give games to different referees from these countries, than to focus on only one name for something more.
Final remark about Walsh, he started with Champions League debut, then he passed to EL in the middle and the third and last appearance for 2024 will be Conference League.
It could have been better for him, I think he paid for that decision in Nations League game Lithuania - Romania.
Tobias Reichel is the fourth official in Astana. According to DFBSchiris (Instagram)
ReplyDeleteStrange second yc in Vikigur vs Djurgarden, first yc was for a foul absolutely correct of course and then almost immediately Bilbija showed another yc and red. May be this player said something to Bilbija cause I can't see any other reason.
ReplyDeletehttps://streamin.me/v/6c2a68ad
DeleteHere the video, maybe the gesture he makes against referee.
It's a straight red card, after first YC, though.
It almost seems as if he thought the player was already booked! Is it possible that the player was booked, but the match records didn't pick it up?
DeleteMost likely 5DJU was booked two minutes before for reckless tackle after which the referee played an advantage that led to a goal being scored. Please find the full sequence:
Deletehttps://streambug.org/cv/fe18b6
Astana - Chelsea (Sven Jablonski, VAR Pascal Müller)
ReplyDelete09' - PAI step on foot
https://streambug.org/cv/f0b589
27' - YC 45AST for reckless, potential SFP
https://streambug.org/cv/65cf82
9': it seems to me this incident was totally missed by referee live, no reaction. Not the best replay and rather difficult to judge, maybe not a full step on foot and one can have also perception it was attacker to put his foot under the opponent...
Delete27' One would like to see RC for SFP, but I think OK by VAR tu support YC. For me not a clear and obvious mistake. Intensity one of the arguments.
Decent enough half for Colombo. YC missed imo for COP n5 for reckless use of the arm. Also a penalty claim for Copenhagen dismissed. Perfect example for VAR sticking with the on field decision
ReplyDeleteOFR for Ladebäck, RC for violnet conduct, elbow in face. Very good call by German VAR, I saw some similar situations in past, without intervention. Regarding such incidents the line of committee seems rather clear (differently from other topics).
ReplyDeleteBig simulation in Chisinau, D’Hondt was called by his countryman from VAR and this was a very correct intervention. YC after OFR, penalty removed and simulation.
ReplyDeleteIncredible OFR in Parken for Colombo after penalty recommandation from Pairetto. The Scottish keeper did nothing wrong, and Colombo’s original call was a foul by the attacker. Among the worst VAR-calls I have seen this season.
ReplyDeleteI actually thought it was a penalty. Attacker gets there before the gk, leg of the gk trips the striker. Glancing contact on the ball from the glove isn't enough to constitute winning the ball
DeleteClear penalty in my view. Keeper loses the ball and plays it right on to the attacker who is in on goal. I don't think this can be seen as a challenge won by the GK
DeleteCan't find any video so far!
DeleteOnce watched the incident, I must agree with LeandinhoDK.
DeleteThis was a called based on the classic Pairetto style who gives always penalty but in my opinion the original decision by Colombo was not wrong, see the action by attacker. OK, maybe a very soft free kick in favor of defender, but never a clear and obvious mistake to turn it into penalty. You can read the incident in my opinion as normal contact between players, with the attacker going deliberately against keeper, with the latter doing nothing.
https://streambug.org/cv/c33f9d
This ought to have been a play on imo. The attacker has to come first to the ball and play it to get a penalty. Ngl Pairetto is a master of the art of awarding soft penalties this season. :)
DeleteI’m completely with Leandinho here, an extremely bad decision to intervene by Var. Goalkeeper makes no action towards attacker and actually is just punished for ‘existing’. Definitely one of the worst interventions (and Ofr decisions) this season.
DeleteCorrect early PK for handball by Ghaltakhchyan in Gent, very clear handball (and very 'passionate' signaling xD)
ReplyDeleteAshot Ghaltakhchyan in Gent - Backa Topola.
ReplyDeleteA game that already ended in first half, with three rather early goals scored by Belgian side. Nevertheless, many incidents during the game helped us to understand more about the Armenian referee.
Some good skills were shown, but also important point for improvements, in what we can describe a mixed bag performance with surely the possibility to work on the referee given some positive attitudes. I think he should refine himself for becoming a more "European" official.
7' Penalty for handball
https://streambug.org/cv/03c6f0
Excellent body language by Armenian while whistling penalty, as Quilava wrote above, something that is today totally lost in modern refereeing.
24' PAI Handball
https://streambug.org/cv/46dfc7
I think correct or at least supportable decision by referee to wave on. He made a clear gesture, and this confirmed us that he made the assessment. If whistled, I think to be supported, because not a deliberate play before (but we saw a VAR calling for a rather similar incident...).
34' Missed offside by AR2, disallowed goal by VAR
https://ibb.co/jLBJmbz
I think one couldn't have blamed that much AR2 because extremely hard if not impossible to see (upper body on last pass), but he couldn't definitely do any assessment, being late in following action. It's a classic situation in which an AR doesn't manage to follow an action until the end.
Nevertheless, the rest of his perfomance was very good, in two of the three goals scored before this incident, two very good ONSIDES and more in second half as we will see.
35' YC for SPA - Reckless
https://streambug.org/cv/93af97
Mandatory booking, can be both for SPA and reckless, given the kick from behind, however without excessive force and we know that such kind of foul is not assessed as straight RC anymore.
37' Possible corner kick, missed in case
https://streambug.org/cv/62b4bf
Looks a rather clear last touch by defender, but without a close replay, impossible to be 100% sure as also attacker put leg (nevertheless, referee not in the condition to see that)
37', 41'
https://streambug.org/cv/bdbb3d
https://streambug.org/cv/04c2a1
Two situations in which YC for LoR can be expected by UEFA referees. In the first incident, the Armenian gave a warning, while in the second case he only whistled foul.
44' Disallowed goal AR1 - Offside
https://streambug.org/cv/2e79e6
Correct decision, again one cold wonder about how much is OK to wait when offside so evident. But still, better to avoid troubles with VAR.
47' YC for reckless arm
https://streambug.org/cv/e36f26
I think this one issued after advice by either FO or AR1. To me wrong decision, player barely touched in face, he pretended more, as it always happens in such incidents.
55' Wrong free kick, YC for home-team coach
Deletehttps://streambug.org/cv/1d1fd7
I think mistake by referee, reaction by coach and YC, very likely called by Fourth Official. Very strict approach by Armenian officials toward protests, the coach from a team that already "won" the game in first half, it's very rare to be booked in second half. I think that we have clearly elements to say that the crew applied the "zero tolerance" that we very rarely see from other referees.
59' Throw-in execution
https://streambug.org/cv/fc8e83
Referee very particular here, you can back him, there is indeed a clear difference between the two positions from which the throw-in should have been taken. A very promising attack was stopped in this way, as keeper was still out from the penalty area and the attacking team could have easily scored.
63' Disallowed goal AR2
https://streambug.org/cv/fbea02
Very clear offside, English commentator going crazy for the delayed flag. Personally not a big issue for me, but I see how much from their culture, they suffer such situations...
All in all, one can't say that both Armenian assisant referees failed regarding to VAR protocol, and that's a very good thing (not granted).
65' Possible YC for reckless to attacker after a late challenge on keeper
https://streambug.org/cv/5a4312
But the replay in my opinion doesn't show that big contact, maybe OK to whistle only foul and assess it as careless.
72' Collision
https://streambug.org/cv/e7ee34
Interesting incident: foul by attacker (going against defender?), foul by defender (deliberate obstruction?) or normal collision? To add that defender touched ball for a while before, but in the context of the action, maybe this can be less relevant.
79' PAI
https://streambug.org/cv/b1c4cf
Correct decision by referee, not enough to whistle, no contact between legs. You can see his gesture by moving the head, refusing the penalty call. Very good in this case.
90'+2 YC for dissent
https://streambug.org/cv/89c6a4
Shouldn't be for the foul, but the reaction. Still, from a player in that minute after a so easy game for them...
90'+4 YC reckless
https://streambug.org/cv/578419
Very good spot, mandatory card.
So, in short, I think you can easily read the positive aspects in the Armenian referee, a good attitude in reading crucial situations, he made all assessments without missing anything. Some good spots regarding YCs (90'+4), a strict approach and mandatory cards against protests. What is missing in my opinion is going more into the game. Such a clash, with 3-0 score in first half, could (should?) have ended before, but it lasted until the end with rather heated challenges. Nevertheless, no big issues for the referee. Just trying to join more in the UEFA mood, like giving YCs for lack of respects, I think at least in one case, he saw exactly that, but he punished according to his view. This is a kind of officiating that if applied with rather nervous or agitated games, can lead to troubles, but of course we can't judge on that. For some reasons, one can be positively impressed by the Armenian, but clearly it wasn't a performance at fully expected level, despite of having taken correctly (or at least in a supportable way) the three major decisions (penalty given + 2 penalty appeals). One should say, one to watch for the future, but we can't know, as said, because it seems as committee is just giving chances to such countries, without trying to build more as for now with them.