Sunday, 23 March 2025

UEFA Nations League 2024/25 - Referee Appointments for Quarterfinals (Second Legs)

 2024-25 UEFA Nations League, referee appointments for Quarterfinals (Second Legs) 



Sunday 23 March 2025

20:45 CET - Valencia (Camp de Mestalla)
SPAIN [2-2] NETHERLANDS
Referee: Clément Turpin FRA
Assistant Referee 1: Nicolas Danos FRA
Assistant Referee 2: Benjamin Pagès FRA
Fourth Official: Stéphanie Frappart FRA
Video Assistant Referee: Willy Delajod FRA
Assistant Video Assistant Referee: Benoît Millot FRA
UEFA Referee Observer: Lucílio Cardoso Cortez Batista POR
UEFA Delegate: Paul Tompkins ENG

20:45 CET - Saint-Denis (Stade de France)
FRANCE [0-2] CROATIA
Referee: Michael Oliver ENG
Assistant Referee 1: Stuart Burt ENG
Assistant Referee 2: James Mainwaring ENG
Fourth Official: Tony Harrington ENG
Video Assistant Referee: Jarred Gillett ENG
Assistant Video Assistant Referee: Peter Bankes ENG
UEFA Referee Observer: Mehmet Murat Ilgaz TUR
UEFA Delegate: Paolo Rondelli SMR

20:45 CET - Lisbon (Estádio José Alvalade)
PORTUGAL [0-1] DENMARK
Referee: Slavko Vinčič SVN
Assistant Referee 1: Tomaž Klančnik SVN
Assistant Referee 2: Andraž Kovačič SVN
Fourth Official: David Šmajc SVN
Video Assistant Referee: Alen Borošak SVN
Assistant Video Assistant Referee: Aleksandar Matkovič SVN
UEFA Referee Observer: Uno Tutk EST
UEFA Delegate: Tarik Shamel ENG

20:45 CET - Dortmund (Signal Iduna Park)
GERMANY [2-1] ITALY
Referee: Szymon Marciniak POL
Assistant Referee 1: Tomasz Listkiewicz POL
Assistant Referee 2: Adam Kupsik POL
Fourth Official: Paweł Raczkowski POL
Video Assistant Referee: Paweł Pskit POL
Assistant Video Assistant Referee: Tomasz Kwiatkowski POL
UEFA Referee Observer: Gylfi Þór Orrason ISL
UEFA Delegate: David Findlay SCO

65 comments:

  1. The very big names we expected.
    So, Vincic in Portugal and not in Germany, while for Marciniak no issues to officiate the German national team and I agree.
    Oliver still with big games while Taylor "relegated" to what he can officiate...
    Turpin to confirm once again the excellent moment of French refereeing.

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    1. Yes, the assumption, that Marciniak can't do German games was apparently exaggerated. I think, he won't get Bayern this season, but Dortmund then also should be fine.

      Vincic and Oliver are quite logical appointments.
      Turpin gets this game although the winner could meet France in the SF. But apparently not a problem for UEFA (as with Letexier in Barcelona).

      As to be expected, the "bigger name" gets the second leg in all pairings including play-offs (only Bastien/Meler could be debated, I think).

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  2. Any explanation for Pskit instead of Kwiatkowski as first VAR?
    Or do we simply assume a mistake on uefa.com?

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    1. Just a stupid speculation by myself, if he was the main VAR in the famous Bayern incident, maybe with this choice committee wanted to avoid again controversy with his name? But well, appointing him as AVAR :D

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    2. But Listkiewicz made the mistake there, not Kwiatkowski.

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    3. First appointment after Kwiatkowski's intervention during the penalty shoot out in Real - Atletico

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  3. We have the first articles about Marciniak's appointment in Germany, speaking of the "scandal referee" who will whistle the match.

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    1. To be honest I don't know why people on this blog bother with what is written in the press. I can understand when it's mentioned on the blog that some club is not satisfied with the referee's performance... I say, I can understand, but I do not justify it. But I feel that newspappers (especially yellow) should have no place on this blog.

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  4. In both legs of Italy - Germany referee with full black kit but with red socks.

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  5. Soft penalty for Spain by Turpin

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  6. Extremely bad broadcasting by Spanish television, but the first replay seems to show that the Spanish puts his foot in front of the defender. Looks like a very very soft penalty.

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  7. Penalty by Marciniak, holding, correct decision, YC.

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  8. Penalty (missed) for Portugal in 03'.

    Too soft IMO

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  9. Why soft for Portugal? Why is that ok to push in the back? More such penalties and football will be more fair than today!

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  10. And another soft penalty in Valencia, this time for the Dutch. There was a slight holding, but the attacker also seemed to have his part.

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  11. And now a soft penalty for the Netherlands by Turpin.

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    1. The first one is ok for me but this one is very soft

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    2. The first one is also a big joke.

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    3. There is a contact and you can understand the no intervention from VAR but the 2nd one is really sofy

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    4. First penalty: It’s disgraceful when players put their foot in front of the opponent to fool the ref that they got tackled. If anything it’s the Spanish player who tripped the defender by sticking his leg out.

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  12. Scandal turpin joke penalty

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  13. Another very poor penalty decision from Turpin. Very soft, maybe even incorrect (?) penalty decision. Probably would have liked VAR to get involved

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  14. Clear freekick before 1-1-goal for Denmark!

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  15. First penalty by Turpin: classic situation where attacker puts himself ahead and he gets contact. VAR can't question, and maybe even in trouble if not whistled by referee, but you can't say wrong decision.
    Second penalty: absolutely an incredible exaggeration by Dutch player who, in my opinion, wanted that after having seen the penalty in first half. Turpin whistled it. I wouldn't have whistled. Here, less arguments for VAR to support, but still according to protocol... it's rather up to referee to play on in such situation.
    Vincic: a very brave decision by the Slovenian, I think in past he wouldn't have called it. It's true that a similar action by a defender is very often assessed as play on and not enough by referee, but one can't say this was a mistake, rather, understandable decision. The problem is that one should see indeed all penalties in these cases...

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  16. Very good Marciniak, resisting to classic Italian pressure for a possible handball penalty. They see handballs everywhere. It wasn't arm. VAR confirmed no penalty.

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  17. Must be red card Denmark time 65.30!

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  18. Uhm...very controversial OFR in Dortmund. Not so clear to me. What do you think?

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    1. There is a contact, the defender never gets the ball. Honestly I can’t find a single valid reason for an OFR. Maybe a soft penalty, but never VAR stuff

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    2. The OFR was softer than the penalty...

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  19. A controversial OFR in Dortmund, Marciniak called to monitor by Paweł Pskit to remove a penalty to Italy. I think that it wasn't for a possible soft touch on the ball before by German defender, but for the contact between players, maybe not assessed as enough for a penalty. Should be rewatched carefully. Marciniak explained the decision to Italy immediately after OFR.

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    1. Indeed it looks like he touched it with the tip of his toe, but should such a little touch that makes no difference to either speed or direction of the ball really be considered as a fair tackle? The ball is still very much within playing distance of the attacker

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    2. I’ve just watched on the Italian state channel ex referee Bergonzi commenting on 73’ OFR. A footage from left back side shows number 18 white’s left leg clearly hitting number 22 blue player’s right leg, justifying the foul and the penalty. it is not clear whether with the tip of the toe 18 white touched the ball or not, but definitely there wasn’t a clear control of the ball. I definitely tend to agree with Bergonzi who said that in his mind this was a penalty, and that the ball’s touch of 18 white is very dubious and in any case, irrelevant even if there was. The contact from 18 white to 22 blue was clear and amounting to a foul therefore there was no clear and obvious mistake hence PK and no OFR should’ve been the correct decision. He said all other decisions taken were correct and I totally agree with Bergonzi.

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    3. Chefren it was not for play on the ball or little cotnact!!!penalty canceled becouse initiator of the contact was attacker ... What is defender doing he is trying to play on the ball and attacker put his leg on defenders way

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    4. Ref, yes, you are right, but then we should wait all consistent decisions in all UEFA games, with VAR, about this particular situation, and clearly it's not, so that's the issue.

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    6. Ref you say Initiator of the contact was the attacker and all the defender was trying to do was trying to play the ball, and the attacker went on his way. Well, the purpose of every player is to put their body between the opponent and the ball, and this is what the attacker did. They were both going towards the ball that was not touched by the defender and whose left foot hit the attacker’s right leg.
      with the difference that the defender is sliding, therefore, not really able to control his movements which become potentially reckless, and the attacker is standing closer to the ball. All this is best seen from the back and I’m not sure this is the footage that VAR has shown the ref.
      Ihere is not one footage clearly showing that the defender touched the ball.
      IMHO all the above is not a good reason to call OFR and cancel PK.

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  20. Massive dis.service by UEFA. Scheduling all four game at the same time. These are all 4 excellent games and matchups, should be showcased on staggered starts. Lead refs are doing very well

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    1. Not sure about that. Football today is nothing compared to a decade ago and 2 decades ago. The players now don't have the class or entertaining play as before. So it's not really interesting games.

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    2. Well…They won't be interesting for you, but for some of us they are.

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    3. Because there is nothing else to choose.

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  21. Now another OFR for Marciniak. very clear handball missed. Player punched the ball.
    Well, in the end, it would have been absurd to think that at half time whistle, the OFR for removing penalty will stay as very controversial decision by the Polish referee... and big discussions.

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    1. If we know Rosetti, I doubt Marciniak will officiate any of the two Bayern-Inter clashes...

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    2. It was truly interesting to see how arguably the best referee had to really fight to keep the game under his control.
      Despite the two OFRs, a good game by Marciniak.

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    3. So two OFR means very good game?

      If we go by grading system 2 OFR's means that there were 2 crucial mistakes that were corrected.

      If not for VAR,who knows what kinda game would have been for Marciniak.

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    4. For other referees OFR's are a negative thing, not for Marciniak. That's why he's so special - even when he's wrong, he's right!

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    5. I’m sorry to disagree with Marciniak having done well: 1 OFR the call was wrong, and he backpedalled on the correct decision he had taken live which was PK. Why did he change his mind? No one knows. Ball touched by the tip of the foot of the defender? Irrelevant if it was, and no clear image is available. Too weak intensity of the contact from defender? Not a good reason for OFR, this is a pitch’s decision. That’s a double mistake, from VAR and from ref who under pressure changed his mind. By the way, reviewing the action the foul is clear.
      2 OFR: terrible mistake from ref: handball strike like you see in volleyball. I do not think we’ll see either of them for some time at least in big games…

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  22. Correct(!) Penalty by Turpin

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  23. Penalty' at Spain-Netherlands
    Every time the Spanish players were preparing to kick, I saw the Dutch keeper (Verbruggen) being stopped from moving forward by Turpin.

    Prevent something before it happens.

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    1. It looked ridiculous. Should have given a yellow card, especially when he hit the crossbar before Yamal missed.

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  24. Not really any big decisions for Oliver to make tonight. Olise appealed for the penalty in the first half but it would have been incredibly soft.

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    1. However, a very(!) good, consistent performance. His gestures were very clear. It seems there was an instruction to show explanation to the public because it's another case of such approach after last seminar. Oliver deserves something big this season.

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    2. I have to disagree with you Euro Soccer Ref. I havent seen tonights game, but generally Oliver had a lot of games this season for his rather mediocre performances. Domestically he is even below average. It is incredible for me that he only got the Supercup yet, and thats in a way not fair. But this season for me everything above ECL or NL final would be an horrendous decision.

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  25. Now for final two names pop out IMO.

    Makkelie and Taylor.

    Maybe even Kovacs with his rise once again.

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    1. Not Taylor... he had the final between france and spain in 2021

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    2. Yes, Taylor is unlikely for that reason.
      Maybe Oliver, if he doesn't get one of the other finals.
      But Makkelie is a good shout - for me the favourite at the moment.

      I think, we will also see an Italian, but rather in a SF.
      Maybe a good opportunity to push Mariani with regard to WC26.

      Another question is, whether CWC referees will be available or already travelled to the US.

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    3. Mmmm I don't see Taylor in any game tbh...
      If I had to say names today, I would say: GER-POR for Kovacs and ESP-FRA for Makkelie, maybe Vincic, Oliver in the final or even Turpin/Letexier if France doesn't advance... but there's a long way to go, the European finals will say a lot, so we have to wait...

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  26. https://streambug.org/cv/ac7d5c
    In the end my explanation is that it was assessed German defender didn't make a direct tackle on opponent'd direction but he was targeted to ball and then attacker came with contact, so maybe the Polish officials assessed as contact created by attacker, this regardless of how much ball had been oirginally played with the attempt.. can't find other explanation, but in case, it would be a call against the many penalties we see in almost all games and rather complicated to explain, especially to Italian fans.

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    1. Yes, that should be the explanation. And it's not wrong: The defender's leg movement is targeted towards the ball, while the attacker's leg movement is targeted towards the defender's leg. So one can argue that no penalty actually follows a detailled analysis of the situation and is a good call.
      But not really clear enough for a VAR intervention anyway, because - as you write - penalty is more expected in such situations.

      As it hasn't been mentioned yet: Was there a chance for DOGSO-RC at the first penalty? It looks like the decisive offence was the holding, and the player was already quite near to the goal, so...?

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    2. Even assuming your take on the contact is right, was that enough to warrant an OFR? Marciniak's standing allows him to ignore ill-conceived calls from his VARs. He didn't do it in Paris, he didn't do it yesterday.

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    3. Both Pskit and Marciniak are known as overactive VARs in Poland. Domestically, they tend to intervene much more often than the standard we know from UEFA competitions. So, it doesn't surprise me, to be honest.

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    4. This seems to be the reason, it was also reported by a newspaper, I think they had the chance to ask the player who had received the explanation by Marciniak.
      But... this can't work. Given that I'm the first fan of such assessments, once again I must repeat that using VAR in this way is a nonsense, because you will find most of referees supporting the call and then a few ones taking the same decision by Marciniak and Pskit. One could call this one as rather a "free use" of VAR, closer to FIFA policy than UEFA one. Don't know what Rosetti thinks about, but either he instructs all VAR to take the same decision in such situations, and it's impossible, or he has to assess this intervention as mistake.

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