The first semifinal of 2024-25 UEFA Champions League, to be played on 29 April 2025.
21:00 CET - London (Emirates)
ARSENAL FC (ENG) - PARIS SAINT GERMAIN (FRA)
Referee: Slavko Vinčić SVN
Assistant Referee 1: Tomaž Klančnik SVN
Assistant Referee 2: Andraž Kovačič SVN
Fourth Official: Matej Jug SVN
Assistant Video Assistant Referee: Dennis Johan Higler NEDVideo Assistant Referee: Alen Borošak SVN
UEFA Referee Observer: Tomasz Mikulski POL
UEFA Delegate: Peadar Ryan IRL
10th CL game for Vincic this season sets a new record (Kuipers had 9 in 20/21).
ReplyDeleteAnd twice in the same season the exact same match, not even with a changed home advantage. Bayern Munich three times, twice in a row, are also on this season's palmares. For my taste, "Vincicism" in the Champions League is exploited too much and he could have been used one or the other time in the Europa League instead.
DeletePeter, fair observation, even with an extremely objective judgment one must admit that it is a special treatment for the Slovenian referee.
DeleteEven if they keep high standards, indeed referees are usually also sent to other competitions to "balance", because they can't always referee in Champions League.
Very frequently evident in past, but as for now see for example Peljto, who in an excellent period, made appearances in Europa League, even if he could have always refereed in Champions League. OK, not a referee of the same experience like the Slovenian, but stil....
So this management could have, among the motivations, also the fact that the committee for some reason can't trust others or can't find other suitable referees for certain matches, but with the entire Elite panel, it is truly difficult to completely agree. There are many referees in rather poor period, yes, but there are also other options. Anotehr argument is the totally neutral origin of the Sloveniam, without clubs from his country at very top level. But this can't explaine everything. Alternatively, he is seen as a phenomenon, but still always rewarded beyond measure, compared to the others.
Do you think in the end he is a better referee than Kuipers, after having beaten this record?
I think, it should be seen as normal, that a top referee gets one game in every CL KO round like Vincic did this season. The unusual thing is rather that he also was appointed on 6/8 matchdays in the group stage.
DeleteAlso the additional games in the new format obviously are a big factor in his record - so hard to compare that with Kuipers.
And IMO, the bigger surprise is, that he didn't get the 2nd leg. If they appoint the "bigger name" for the return game, it nearly has to be Marciniak - who would also be the best choice for the Inter-Barcelona 2nd leg though...
Also interesting that UEFA sends a CAT1 Referee as 4O. Usually in the last years in the CL Semi-Finals Elite Referees were send as 4O (I think there was an exception with Frappart in 2023 if I remember correctly).
ReplyDeleteIt shows how Jug is seen by UEFA as very experienced (and good) CAT1 referee.
This is one of the worst managements I remember in CL.
ReplyDeleteWell, I'm not a fan of Vincic at all and as they said, he as always with special treatments but not even the second leg??? For, at least, a different environment/stadium in Paris?? But no…
I think this "bet" is to then give him a 2L semifinal of EL, we already know that Vincic's performances, whether good or bad, he will have the game.
And also, does anyone know when Rosetti can leave? Or how does it work? When is it time to re-elect or how is it?
The chance to officiate Inter Barca next week is a possibility for Vincic.
DeleteThe appointments are so obvious.
Shocking VAR decision in Bournemouth v Man U when Evanilson sent off after review for SFP.
ReplyDeleteBrooks should never be getting involved in that, Evanilson slipped and the challenge was accidental. Poor from Bankes in not telling Brooks he is sticking with his (poor) yellow.
Making up for the earlier error on Adams I suppose.
ReplyDeleteSlavko Vincic was the referee last year Champions League final, but interesting that will be his first semifinal CL in his career.
ReplyDeleteMatej Jug is still active in european matches 2025, but 0! matches in slovenian league, last in November, anybody knows what is the reason? (suspended? retired?)
There was an incident in the league after a game. FC Koper said thah Jug insulted the players and that the delagate heard it. After thah he is only a Var or 4th official in Slovenia.
DeleteSorry but this is nothin but not the truth. He didnt pass the fitness test in Turkey, as he has problem with his back. He will soon finish on the pitch becasue he is 45 but probably continue as VAR.
DeleteMy prediction we will see a double appointment again in SF for Vincic like what they did to Cakir, deserved or undeserved IMO we have a very experience referee here and not a referee like Mariani.
ReplyDeleteI bet Vincic will get 2nd leg UEL as well => Man Utd vs Atletic.
ReplyDeleteIn fact the announcement of the observer in ARS-PSG and Man Utd-Atletic were both (!!!!) delayed.
Moreover, Vincic is a big contender to officiate the opener @ FIFA CWC.
That CWC is a very low tournament.
DeletePlayers are playing for their countries till 10 june and then holidays... thst tournement starts i thought the 18th.
The need 3 weeks off. It will be a youth tournament i guess.
Foreign appointments this weekend
ReplyDelete26/04/25
CYP Omónia Nicosia vs Páfos (Mikkel Redder - Sylwestrzak)
27/04/25
CYP Áris Limassol vs AEK Larnaca (Damian Sylwestrzak - Paszkiewicz)
GRE AEK vs Olymbiakós (Halil Umut Meler, Uyarcan, Özkara - Özütoprak)
GRE PAOK vs Panathinaïkós (Harm Osmers, Schaal, Lupp - Pfeifer)
UAE Al-Jazira vs Sharjah (István Kovács, Marica, Tunyogi - Bîrsan)
OT:
ReplyDeleteFA Cup Final- Crystal Palace v Manchester City 17th May 2025
Referee - Stuart Attwell
Assistant Referees - Adam Nunn and Dan Robathan
Fourth Official - Darren England
Reserve Assistant Referee - Craig Taylor
VAR - Jarred Gillett
Support VAR - Michael Salisbury
AVAR - Darren Cann
10' early YC,correct
ReplyDeleteBut given the style of Vincic,I was surprised.
Bu then again,in Leverkusen vs Bayern he also opted for early YC's.
Clear pen not given
ReplyDeleteHow has timber not been booked. Terrible performance so far.
ReplyDeleteTimber should already be with his yellow card
ReplyDeleteFirst YC was mandatory. I find Vincic very balanced and in control
ReplyDeleteI didn't expect that early YC as well, rather a surprise for the style of the Slovenian. Now trying to solve the evident issues, very challenging game so far, with dialogue.
ReplyDeletePenalty area incident:
https://streamff.com/v/2e47e5aa
Exaggerated reaction by the Georgian from PSG andI think a penalty call would have been more debatable than fully correct, but still of course possible whistle here.
In my opinion Vincic should have issued Kvaratshkelia a YC after that PAI. Clear dissent, running from a long distance and it was very obvious. UEFA wants to protect the image of the game and calls for more respect for referees, but then again so quickly turns its back on these values. Same with the Captain‘s only approach.
ReplyDeleteThis ”captains only” is already gone. It lasted a couple of times and now it’s over.
DeleteSaka booked for kicking ball away, before being booked he also made a clear dissenting gesture to Vincic. Very lucky to escape from second YC, but the call by AR1 was debatable.
ReplyDeleteVery unconvinced that was a foul by Saka, but that seemed a good opportunity to wait and see then bring it back so the VAR could get involved
ReplyDeletePathetic Vincic and AR so far
ReplyDeleteBad performance of Vincic.
ReplyDeleteNot convincing.
Yellow missed timber
Penalty not given
Not a foul off Saka...
He makes it very challenging for himself after bad choices
very very tricky game for vincic, previous decisions in this game have made every contact now a foul. Big second half needed
ReplyDeleteGood performance from Vincic, maybe too harsh foul that led to Saka's YC but that's no excuse for Saka's reaction.
ReplyDeleteAll YC's justified and he has full control.
English crowd and some subjective people will says that he is bad.
Card for Saka for dissent - correct card but IMO IT was no foul before card
ReplyDeleteCard for hakimi IMO IT was no foul
Two relevant comments so far. Very challenging 1st half but Vincic was very inside of the game so far with right decisions.
ReplyDeleteIt’s not been a tricky game imo, just made difficult by rubbish decisions
ReplyDeleteBad first half. Inconsistent foul line. Match slowly getting out of control.
ReplyDelete16' PAI impeding
ReplyDeletehttps://streambug.org/cv/440d14
37' PAI tripping
https://streambug.org/cv/6c9756
Not a good match by Vincic. Missed PK on Kvaratskelia and YC after for dissent. Missed YC for Timber. No foul and consequently YC for Saka after that. Poor half by slovenian crew.
ReplyDelete6 matchs ban only for Rudiger. Two for Lucas Vasquez and…Bellimgham RC cancelled. What a shame on Spanish federation. Unbelievable !
ReplyDeleteHow much does he deserve?
Delete20?30?
Seriously, what would be your verdict?
Did you watch the match? Or did we watch the same match? Joey Barton got a 12-match ban in 2012 for VC. The ideal ban length was between 8 and 12 matches, but we know who the boss is
DeleteWas 10 matchs ban by rules. Not « mine ».
DeleteIt was said that 4 to 12 matches were possibilities.
DeleteAnd that theory who te boss is...
🙃Yep,it's all fixed in Madrid's favour and there is no objective refs,owners,everyone in Spain and in Europe are letting Madrid to fix matches and get away with everything. 🙃
Unfortunately M, former Category 1 referee Bobby Madden has spoken out via his ig regarding the sanction imposed on Rüdiger. With all due respect, your statement clearly reflects a perspective that is not that of a referee, and it is apparent that you have chosen not to support referee De Burgos in this case.
DeleteUnfortunately Andrei,I dont if you can tell,but I can clear it for you if there is anything unclear;
DeleteWhere did I write that I don't support De Burgos?
Just tell me where did you draw that conclusion?
The only thing I have against him is his refereeing style,but that does not mean I hate him.
Last game that I saw him handle was Espanyol vs Getafe where I thought he had not so good performance, missed 3-4 YC's and showed too much leniency.
That's my only problem with him,his refereeing style,nothing more.
About this game,I only had problem with RFEF, as I said,risky move by them to appoint ref who has not so good history with both clubs.
And with you I only had problem with comments that you wrote about we know who the boss is...
You cant be that subjective and it seems that you have attitude against certain club,like many of fans around the world.
I never wrote that I agree with 6 games,you did not ask me how much I think he should get,I was just asking you how much would you give him,20,30?...
Cause Drogba got 10 for his attack on Ovrebo,verbal and who knows how else he attacked him,also we all have seen what he said about disgrace.
But then again,you think I support RMA over De Burgos?
If you drew that conclusion then great for you.
Almost all Arsenal attackers in offside following that free kick.
ReplyDeleteVery hard for AR2, and not easy for VAR!
This can take a very long time.
Agree that was offside (clear blocking). But assuming that was not for the goalscorer, is it still not subjective (ie using the monitor) to make the decision?
ReplyDeleteGenuine question: at this level, is it a team job or referee sole discretion for additional time at the end of the match? At least three and a half minutes already gone from that lengthy review
ReplyDeleteI think main ref has his final say..
DeleteFrom this match,I would not be suprised if I see 6 to 7 minutes.
Of course Referee has final word but in the 44th minute VAR room gives an opinion on the potential additional time.
DeleteIn UEFA competitions AVAR is the one who notes every stop of the game (substitutions, goal celebrating, entrance of the doctor on the field, injury, var check...)
Five seems low
DeletePhantom foul on Donnarumma...
ReplyDeletePerhaps an unpopular opinion but I think it was a good performance by Vincic tonight. He balanced disciplinary things quite well and was resistant to pressure made by Arsenal and their fans. The penalty incident in 16' was more penalty than not for me but due to weak impact and exaggerated reaction by Kvaratskhelia good by VAR to stay silent. Well done!
ReplyDeleteI think it was a good performance from Vincic tonight. Not excellent, but good.
ReplyDeleteThe main point for discussion is of course the PAI at 16’ but I prefer PLAY ON in this situation, for the simple reason that for me Kvaratskhelia’s fall is not natural and not coherent with the contact. I think that is what Vincic saw and made his decision.
No big areas for discussion in the rest of the game. 37’ is never PK, cards are ok. Sensible to avoid 2YC on Hakimi in the end given the (absence of ?) contact. Missed YC for Timber though (17’).
Very challenging game, but Vincic manager it smoothly, with a lot of dialogue and technical accuracy.
Not excellent, but good (a good summary of Vincic’s career ?).
Cypriot Cup Semi-Finals
ReplyDelete30-04-25
Omónia Nicosia vs AEK Larnaca
Radu Marian Petrescu (Sebastian Constantin Colțescu)
Páfos FC vs Apóllon Limassol
Danny Makkelie (Rob Dieperink)
Makkelie in foreign countries because he has no UEFA activity and he is completely erased for now, I don't think the situation will change for the 2nd legs... really sad
DeleteTrue. But I have to admit that Makkelie's form is declining. I've heard second-handed that he has no self-reflection at all. Makkelie tends to throw his ARs or 4O under the bus after failures. A mistake is never his own fault, while he often gives a lazy, nonchalant, non-focused impression. It's almost like he’s with his mind elsewhere. Frozen when key match incidents appear. Someone really needs to put up that mirror.
DeleteThe cup final was a satisfying performance. However, last week I watched Twente-PSV. The management in 1st half was confusing and foul detection inconsistent. At some point Makkelie re-started the match with a dropped ball while he didn't realise that 4-5 players were drinking on the sideline. Of course a referee should always turn his head towards the play before dropping the ball. He’s leaning on his team like a puppet.
In my opinion Gozubuyuk has a much better season; a more consistent line, predictable management and less controversy.
Quite a lot of strong conclusions based on ‘second hand hearsay’.
DeleteThen bringing Gozubuyuk into the discussion and speaking about throwing assistants under the bus, where has Ar Balder gone, and why?
And if anyone is (in)famous on leaning on assistants and freezing when key match incidents occur we have all witnessed this happening in Europe lately, and it was not Makkelie ;)
Well, go watch Benfica-Barcelona, ROU-BIH or the first half of Twente-PSV and judge. Makkelie is not the same strong referee as a few years ago. Compare his body language to the pro-active referee of 2019, 2020 etc. I see a lazy referee. And his assistants are not good enough either. Hessel Steegstra has too many blackouts in second halves, and too many VAR overturns.
DeleteSo Makkelie is right then to be strong to his assistants? As far as I noticed Makkelie always speaks positively about his team, especially in the media, most recently regarding his appointment for the FCWC. During the Twente match, he was busy with a dropp ball, while on the other side of the field, three players quickly went to receive instructions from their coach. Is a referee allowed to demand that his fourth official and assistants inform him about those players? This isn’t about throwing people under the bus, but about maintaining sharpness within his team. How often do we see assistants staying silent when tough decisions have to be made?
Delete@RefExpert:
DeleteFair comment, a referee has to be strict towards his team. However, Makkelie himself isn’t the sharpest either. Foul detection can be more consistent, management could be smarter, his body language often appears to be absent (or too nonchalant). Or lack of confidence? After games, it happened too often that one team wasn’t satisfied. I recall that Makkelie often tends to forget that he already booked a player (another example of poor teamwork) and sometimes he’s losing his focus after an OFR. That’s his biggest flaw imo.
Regarding Gozubuyuk: I am not a big fan of him, but he is having a better and steady season Eredivisie. In UEFA competitions, the latter is not performing great though - hesitating and confusing signals has always been his biggest flaw. I recall that Gozubuyuk basically missed the 2024 European Championship because he tried to cover up an OFR. Nevertheless, Inia instead of Balder is a good decision. Inia is better.
There’s a lot of talk about how Makkelie is being treated differently by UEFA, with some drawing comparisons to Cüneyt Çakır. He already deserved the Champions League final on two occasions but didn’t get it. And let’s be honest—given the current president and his relationship with PSG, it’s unlikely Makkelie will ever be appointed to a final. Is it really surprising that he’s struggling to maintain his confidence?
DeleteHe had a strong, mistake-free first half of the season, followed by a difficult match in Benfica and an OFR in Romania. Does that really warrant such a harsh sanction? Especially when other referees are given new appointments after underwhelming performances. Makkelie may not be in his best form right now, but if he’s not trusted or given opportunities, how can anyone expect him to shine again?
This comment has been removed by the author.
DeleteBeing affected by UEFAs management is always a choice.
DeleteA referee can sink into self-pity and lose his
motivation or self-confidence. But they can also use it as fuel to prove otherwise. Marciniak was awfully managed at EURO 2024, after the off-side flag (Bayern). However, his management didn’t affect his season form so far. He decided to show the world how good he is.
By the way, an interesting discussion about who is at fault. To use the handball in ROU-BIH as an example:
- In my opinion, AR Jan de Vries should perceive that the ball hits the arm and that the incident happened inside the box. However, as the AR is in a frontal position, he can’t assess the punishability of the arm. And this is exactly where Makkelie himself could’ve helped. This is a situation that can be solved with good teamwork, by connecting the dots together, without VAR.
- Then Dieperink made an OFR and showed the wrong camera angle. Is Dieperink responsible or should the CR (Makkelie) ask for a different angle? In any case, it is a team effort and the CR can never put all the blame on the AR, 4Oor VAR. The CR carries the final responsibility and must radiate strong leadership.
If Makkelie reads the blog, that definitely won’t do his confidence any good, haha. By the way, I’m pretty sure all referees, observers, and committee members read the blog.
DeleteI don’t think the comparison with Marciniak is valid. He has already refereed the World Cup final and the Champions League final, and at this point, he doesn’t really have anything left to prove—he’s basically officiating to maintain his reputation. That brings far less pressure than someone like Makkelie, who still wants to reach a final in his career but is facing obstacles.
DeleteHaha yes, I recall that someone in the comments revealed the username of a certain Slovenian Cat.1 referee :-)
DeleteReading this blog (and Twitter) is probably the worst thing a referee can do. Seeking for compliments? Don’t do it. I once read an interview with a F1 driver, who said that he doesn’t care about compliments nor about criticism. Both do not affect him at all. That’s the best mindset.
Honestly, Refcom members should not read here either, let alone being influenced by the comments. Too many people with an agenda :D
https://www.oslobodjenje.ba/sport/fudbal/wwin-liga-bih/kompletan-sudijski-komitet-n-fsbih-podnio-ostavke-suspendovan-veci-broj-sudija-1040313/
ReplyDeleteAgreeing with the unpopular opinions ( maybe it's not unpopular) but Vincic was good in this SF. I actually liked a lot the non penalty call on Kvara, thought it was soft and that's how it should be refereed !
ReplyDeleteYes, non-penalty call was good or at least supportable but he made too many other soft calls. No consistency.
DeleteOT: With all respect, after all the drama and many comments pro-cons about De Burgos appointment and some of them praise his performance. I don't know why many experts on this blog silent about what happened with Rudiger sanctions, did you really think 6 ban match was enough?
ReplyDeleteI think it is correct not to evaluate the punishment for Rüdiger here: The activity of a referee ends with writing the match report, while other authorities are responsible for subsequent steps. These may be interesting from a "socio-political" point of view, but those sanctions are not the competence of the referees. To me, this seems to be more a legal matter: What penalty range is provided for such incidents, to what extent has it been exhausted and why?
DeleteThe issue is that we are not the referees ourselves; we are observers or enthusiasts and as long as the topic remains related with refereeing, it is still within our purview. This is not a matter of "socio-political" debate, but rather about how we protect the integrity of the refereeing world. If we fail to issue any statements, it's no wonder referees continue to be targeted and attacked. The evidence was clear, he attempted to attack the referee WITH an object, a verdict should be made based on that evidence, even IMO it was an aggravation.
Deletehttps://ig-schiedsrichter.de/psg-vs-arsenal-deutscher-schiedsrichter-soll-das-rueckspiel-pfeifen/?fbclid=IwY2xjawJ_YWJleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBicmlkETFwV21Eb2ZxdEVyNnlMcU05AR6mwlh6sFCbXMWCPYi2KNwpf1nVq_f8Rl6_qb1PktQbLvmjyRQb7lrmGdLG2A_aem_C4EQsiwD0qLp9NUAQIn4ng
ReplyDeleteAccording to IG Referee : Felix Zwayer will referee the second leg between Paris SG - Arsenal London
Wow, surprising if you ask me. If it’s true, this leave Marciniak for Inter-Barcelona.
Delete