2024-25 UEFA Champions League KO Play-offs, second set of referee assignments, games to be played on Wednesday 12/02/2025.
18:45 CET - Bruges (Jan Breydelstadion)
CLUB BRUGGE KV (BEL) - ATALANTA BC (ITA)
Referee: Halil Umut Meler TUR
Assistant Referee 1: Kerem Ersoy TUR
Assistant Referee 2: Ibrahim Çaglar Uyarcan TUR
Fourth Official: Arda Kardeşler TUR
Video Assistant Referee: Pol van Boekel NED
Assistant Video Assistant Referee: Willy Delajod FRA
UEFA Referee Observer:
UEFA Delegate: Diana Bulgaru MDA
21:00 CET - Rotterdam (Stadion Feijenoord "De Kuip")
FEYENOORD (NED) - AC MILAN (ITA)
Referee: José María Sánchez ESP
Assistant Referee 1: Raúl Cabañero ESP
Assistant Referee 2: Iñigo Prieto ESP
Fourth Official: Guillermo Cuadra ESP
FEYENOORD (NED) - AC MILAN (ITA)
Referee: José María Sánchez ESP
Assistant Referee 1: Raúl Cabañero ESP
Assistant Referee 2: Iñigo Prieto ESP
Fourth Official: Guillermo Cuadra ESP
Video Assistant Referee: Juan Martínez Munuera ESP
Assistant Video Assistant Referee: César Soto Grado ESP
UEFA Referee Observer:Martin Atkinson ENG
UEFA Delegate: Per Eliasson SWE
Assistant Video Assistant Referee: César Soto Grado ESP
UEFA Referee Observer:
UEFA Delegate: Per Eliasson SWE
21:00 CET - Glasgow (Celtic Park)
CELTIC FC (SCO) - FC BAYERN MÜNCHEN (GER)
Referee: Jesús Gil Manzano ESP
Assistant Referee 1: Diego Barbero ESP
Assistant Referee 2: Angel Nevado ESP
Fourth Official: José Luis Munuera ESP
Video Assistant Referee: Carlos Del Cerro Grande ESP
Assistant Video Assistant Referee: Tiago Martins POR
UEFA Referee Observer: Georgios Bikas GRE
UEFA Delegate: Tammo Beishuizen NED
CELTIC FC (SCO) - FC BAYERN MÜNCHEN (GER)
Referee: Jesús Gil Manzano ESP
Assistant Referee 1: Diego Barbero ESP
Assistant Referee 2: Angel Nevado ESP
Fourth Official: José Luis Munuera ESP
Video Assistant Referee: Carlos Del Cerro Grande ESP
Assistant Video Assistant Referee: Tiago Martins POR
UEFA Referee Observer: Georgios Bikas GRE
UEFA Delegate: Tammo Beishuizen NED
21:00 CET - Monaco (Stade Louis II)
AS MONACO (FRA) - SL BENFICA (POR)
Referee: Maurizio Mariani ITA
Assistant Referee 1: Daniele Bindoni ITA
Assistant Referee 2: Alberto Tegoni ITA
Fourth Official: Luca Pairetto ITA
Video Assistant Referee: Daniele Chiffi ITA
Assistant Video Assistant Referee: Aleandro Di Paolo ITA
UEFA Referee Observer: Ante Vučemilović CRO
UEFA Delegate: Andrew Shaw ENG
AS MONACO (FRA) - SL BENFICA (POR)
Referee: Maurizio Mariani ITA
Assistant Referee 1: Daniele Bindoni ITA
Assistant Referee 2: Alberto Tegoni ITA
Fourth Official: Luca Pairetto ITA
Video Assistant Referee: Daniele Chiffi ITA
Assistant Video Assistant Referee: Aleandro Di Paolo ITA
UEFA Referee Observer: Ante Vučemilović CRO
UEFA Delegate: Andrew Shaw ENG
The Austrian Petru Ciochirca caused a stir in Cyprus after his work as VAR in Turkey end of January (3 interventions that were criticized by all experts and assessed as incorrect). Last weekend in the match between Aris and AEK, he corrected himself after OFR from red to yellow at 82.30 and gave a red for violent conduct at 53.54 and continued with IDF for offside. However, the offense of the defender took place before a possible punishability of the offside position and should have been penalized. Summary of the game on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NKpJVhSs7io
ReplyDeleteI agree, the outcome here should be penalty
DeleteUnsurprising appointments... I expected Sanchez Martinez in the Milan game and we got him .
ReplyDeleteProbably expected a more experienced elite in Monaco Benfica as the game looks difficult .
Good game for Sanchez Martinez in a hot atmosphere in Rotterdam with Milan. Since gil Manzano is appointed too, what can we say about the current status of the two Spanish referees. Who is under more focus by the committee at the moment? Who has better chances to participate in Club-WC and WC?
ReplyDeleteDefinitely in term of performances, Sanchez Martinez is doing very well this year, very little mistakes. Manzano however, is just not as consistent, was also injured this year, had a disaster performance in the Classico supercup, and for me, he was given the least challenging game of the lot.
DeleteBut I don't know how the committee are looking at it, I guess we'll see who will go further in the UCL.
Good question on spanish referee race; I guess that right now Uefa Ref committee considers both Gil Manzano and Sanchez Martinez at the same (low) level and it's still testing to understand who could improve and be selected for the next two WC tournaments; By the way, Feyenoord-Milan is more difficult and sonorous than Manzano's appointment
DeleteAlberola Rojas has been having very positive performances in the national championship. I believe he can gain focus in the coming years.
DeleteA bit strange and OT question:
ReplyDeleteCan a ref who got a FIFA badge only as a women football referee wear the badge while refereeing domestic men football competitions ?
In Belgium, they do wear the FIFA badge while refereeing (lower class) men competition.
DeleteYes, here an example: https://ibb.co/7JWT5nRR
DeleteMarta Huerta De Aza in Spain's Men Second Division.
All FIFA referees can wear the badge, it's related to their status that they can officiate international games, and it's not about the domestic league in which they handle games.
Only Italy stays as the unique country with referees not wearing FIFA badge :D
In Germany it's also common that female FIFA-referees will wear their badges for lower class male matches. Except for FIFA assistant refs, they will be wearing their DFB-badge.
DeleteFourth official
ReplyDeleteGuillermo Cuadra ESP
Video Assistant Referee
Juan Martínez Munuera ESP
Assistant Video Assistant Referee
Cesar Soto Grado ESP
according to uefa.com
Thanks, sorry, very likely my mistake :D
DeleteNot the best moment while I was adding appointments!
Starting with Mariani, this appointment is another confirmation that very often it's about giving a game to a certain country and not a specific referee. Indeed, after Massa who got two games (very likely appointed at the same time for both) in MD7 and 8, now it was the turn of another Italian, and with Guida injured, you have Mariani. One is allowed to say that because the use of the Italian by committee so far, didn't talk absolutely in favor of such a possible assignment.
ReplyDeleteInteresting also to point that this will be the "Obrenovic" game again, after the very famous one in group stage. Maybe Rosetti will be able to check carefully the performance of his countryman (in Monaco together with the Croatian observer?).
To follow, time for Spanish referees, Sanchez Martinez in Feyenoord - Milan is to me similar choice to Siebert for Juventus- PSV. These Italian - Dutch clashes seem to be seen in a certain way by committee. Not very big matches involving Italian teams, but something in which you can make a certain different choice.
But the Spanish could have been definitely more predictable than the German, even though not and never as first option, at least for me.
Gil Manzano follows, back in CL, after having skipped it on both last matchdays, and he will officiate a rather closed tie on paper, with German side very favorite team. Then, everything can happen, but I find this one, considering also that it will be a first leg, an OK choice for the Spanish, who must re start again with good performances. Very often Spanish referees have got Bayern in CL KO Stage, given the many Spanish teams always present and that's indeed something not totally new...
Last comment about Meler, very good for him, I wasn't expecting the Turkish in this stage, but clearly he got the least sonorous among the eight clashes, least experienced Italian team in CL, and the Belgian side. All the other seven are "major" games for a reason or another (names of the clubs, history...). Still, very good for Meler, committe doesn't want to "abandon" him, despite of Turkish situation, and that's positive.
Forgot to add about Mariani, he should be the referee for Juventus - Inter on Sunday, after having been assigned so far in rather medium-low serie A clashes for a long period. With many referees out, he will be selected for that clash.
DeleteSo, an extremely important week for him.
- Fun fact: the first 8 games are assigned to referees with 4 games or less in groupstage. With the exception of Peljto, he had 5.
ReplyDelete- Indeed, the referees with Juventus and AC Milan are not the biggest names in Elite category. While the Dutch and Italian teams were actually close to each other in the table. Will Roma get the same treatment? I think Roma vs Porto requires an experienced Elite. Hot game.
- Regarding the Spanish refs, Sánchez Mártinez and Gil Manzano. They are difficult to compare, because they are used in a different way. Gil Manzano is in my opinion often used in high paced games with teams that play a high backline, where he should run his tail off. While the former, his compatriot, is more used in hostile atmospheres (e.g. Balkanics), hot games and teams with a rough or physical playing style.
- Turpin in Manchester rules out in my opinion the best referee (Letexier) atm in the return which is a pity. Very unpredictable what game Turpin will face on Wednesday, given the current form of Man City. Moreover, remarkable observer in Madrid, Rizzoli (ITA). Correct me if I’m wrong, Rizzoli still has a UEFA/FIFA double role? Would this indicate a referee under focus on his way to the FIFA CWC 2025/WC 2026? In that case: perhaps Vinčić. Unless it is a reunion with a certain Pole who Rizzoli knows very well from WC 2022... :)
- Another name that stands out is Velasco Carballo as observer for the return in Bayern. In prior years, we often saw the RefCom members attending at 1st legs, with less experienced refs. This time, a return which could suggest a referee under focus for one of the finals. On the other hand, given the nature of the game it is possible to see a less experienced ref. My first thought was Glenn Nyberg. Or Davide Massa, as he’s extremely pushed lately. But then again: why would you send a RefCom member in München, where Bayern is "on paper" the dominant side? The game in Scotland could be more challenging, fun and useful to make an assessment.
- Vassaras (GRE) is at the return in Paris, an important observer and close to the RefCom. A full French tie would be the ideal moment to assign Makkelie to PSG again; little/no room for bias, conspiracies and other nonsense in advance. However, I don’t think UEFA will make such choice as they like to give us the impression that PSG can reject referees. Compare that to Monaco/Obrenović who was in no-time back in Monaco as 4O after a car crash. A Slovenian can “clear the decks” immediately? Does that say something about Monaco or the power of a Slovenian passport? :) Such appointment would easily be avoided if the referee wasn’t Slovenian or Italian, just saying.
- Any predictions for next week? I’m going with Kovács, Nyberg, Letexier, an English, Zwayer, Vinčić, Marciniak, Massa.
Delete*Side note, I don’t predict a Dutch referee (Makkelie/Göz) in the UCL play-offs, as there is a lot of NED "involvement" already: 2 delegates, 1 observer, 3 VARs and besides, two active clubs teams (Feyenoord and PSV) as well.
My predictions:
ReplyDeletePSG - Brest: Zwayer GER (Vassaras)
Atalanta - Brugge: Pinheiro POR (Filipovic)
Real Madrid - Manchester City: Nyberg SWE (Rizzoli)
PSV - Juventus: Letexier FRA (Messner)
Milan - Feyenoord: Marciniak POL (Deaconou)
Bayern - Celtic: Schärer SUI (Velasco)
Dortmund - Sporting: Makkelie NED (Webb)
Benfica - Monaco: Taylor ENG (Sippel)
Waiting for EL and CL appointments tomorrow.
Leaving Vincic, Kovacs, Oliver and Massa for the next round.
DeleteI am very happy about Meler. Because this year is not going well for Turkish refereeing.
ReplyDeleteAny opinion on fiorentina penalty versus inter?
ReplyDeleteCalled after OFR:
Deletehttps://streambug.org/cv/0b29c4
Did they check offside here?
DeleteAll players in regular position on the cross, then at the moment of the header, I don't think that the other Fiorentina player is punishable anymore, he is behind the player who commits handball, but without influencing him.
Delete