Referee appointmens at 2025 UEFA Euro Under 21.
Quarterfinals
18:00 CET - Žilina (Štadión MŠK Žilina)
PORTUGAL - NETHERLANDS
Referee: Goga Kikacheishvili GEO
Assistant Referee 1: Davit Akhvlediani GEO
Assistant Referee 2: Davit Gabisonia GEO
Saturday 21 June 2025
PORTUGAL - NETHERLANDS
Referee: Goga Kikacheishvili GEO
Assistant Referee 1: Davit Akhvlediani GEO
Assistant Referee 2: Davit Gabisonia GEO
Fourth Official: Nenad Minaković SRB
Video Assistant Referee: Piotr Lasyk POL
Assistant Video Assistant Referee: Sören Storks GER
UEFA Referee Observer: Kýros Vassáras GRE
UEFA Delegate: Sanja Bosanac-Perišić MNE
UEFA Delegate: Sanja Bosanac-Perišić MNE
21:00 CET - Trnava (City Aréna - Štadión Antona Malatinského)
SPAIN - ENGLAND
Video Assistant Referee: Daniele Chiffi ITA
Assistant Video Assistant Referee: Mario Zebec CRO
UEFA Referee Observer: Darko Čeferin SVN
UEFA Delegate: Filip Popovski MKD
SPAIN - ENGLAND
Referee: Simone Sozza ITA
Assistant Referee 1: Davide Imperiale ITA
Assistant Referee 2: Alessio Berti ITA
Fourth Official: Damian Sylwestrzak POLVideo Assistant Referee: Daniele Chiffi ITA
Assistant Video Assistant Referee: Mario Zebec CRO
UEFA Referee Observer: Darko Čeferin SVN
UEFA Delegate: Filip Popovski MKD
Sunday 22 June 2025
DENMARK - FRANCE
Referee: Sander van der Eijk NED
Assistant Referee 1: Rens Bluemink NED
Assistant Referee 2: Stefan de Groot NED
Fourth Official: Vasílios Fotiás GREVideo Assistant Referee: Clay Ruperti NED
Assistant Video Assistant Referee: Jan Boterberg BEL
UEFA Referee Observer: Terje Hauge NOR
UEFA Delegate: Knut Bjørn Nordheim NOR
UEFA Delegate: Knut Bjørn Nordheim NOR
21:00 CET - Dunajská Streda (MOL Aréna)
GERMANY - ITALY
Video Assistant Referee: Michael Salisbury ENG
Assistant Video Assistant Referee: César Soto Grado ESP
GERMANY - ITALY
Referee: Manfredas Lukjančukas LTU
Assistant Referee 1: Mangirdas Mirauskas LTU
Assistant Referee 2: Aleksandras Stepanovas LTU
Fourth Official: Elçin Məsiyev AZEVideo Assistant Referee: Michael Salisbury ENG
Assistant Video Assistant Referee: César Soto Grado ESP
UEFA Referee Observer: Leslie Irvine NIR
UEFA Delegate: Zgjim Sojeva KOS
UEFA Delegate: Zgjim Sojeva KOS
Semifinals
18:00 CET - Bratislava (Národný futbalový štadión)
ENGLAND - NETHERLANDS
Fourth Official: Elçin Məsiyev AZE
Video Assistant Referee: Ángelos Evangélou GRE
Wednesday 25 June 2025
ENGLAND - NETHERLANDS
Referee: Vasílios Fotiás GRE
Assistant Referee 1: Andréas Meïndanás GRE
Assistant Referee 2: Michaíl Papadákis GRE
Video Assistant Referee: Ángelos Evangélou GRE
Assistant Video Assistant Referee: César Soto Grado ESP
UEFA Referee Observer: Carlos Velasco Carballo ESP
UEFA Delegate: Rodney Pisani MLT
UEFA Referee Observer: Carlos Velasco Carballo ESP
UEFA Delegate: Rodney Pisani MLT
21:00 CET - Košice (Košická futbalová aréna)
GERMANY - FRANCE
Assistant Video Assistant Referee: Piotr Lasyk POL
UEFA Referee Observer:Leslie Irvine NIR
UEFA Delegate: Can Emre Tuğal TUR
GERMANY - FRANCE
Referee: Nicholas Walsh SCO
Assistant Referee 1: Daniel McFarlane SCO
Assistant Referee 2: Calum Spence SCO
Assistant Referee 1: Daniel McFarlane SCO
Assistant Referee 2: Calum Spence SCO
Fourth Official: Goga Kikacheishvili GEO
Video Assistant Referee: Andrew Dallas SCO Assistant Video Assistant Referee: Piotr Lasyk POL
UEFA Referee Observer:
UEFA Delegate: Can Emre Tuğal TUR
It is also possible that not a referee from the QF and SF are referee for the final.
ReplyDeleteBut Minakovic, Fotias, Walsh deserve a third match even Sylwestrszak
Sundberg and Dudic are done i think.
It seems that committee was in trouble for having too many choices this time and that's good. Given the delay of the full quarterfinals' set, in my opinion some choices were hugely discussed among committee members and observrs.
DeleteThank always to KNVB that gives us some small clues by publishing very early the news, the assignment for the Dutch was already done this morning, so one must lok at the other three games. Maybe a doubt with another good performerm who will be out from everything.
For me, rather unlikely to get directly the final, while surely there will be two different names in semifinal.
I have a feeling the Serbian and the Scottish in semifinal, but just an idea and nothing more. The Polish would be then left out.
Hopefully Walsh gets the final! Not being baised :)
DeleteFrom these appointments I read two possibilities. Either Sylwestrzak is planned directly for the final with Walsh and Minaković doing the semifinals or he will get the semi-final appointment alongside Walsh and Lukjančukas doing the final. I can't see UEFA sending their most talented referee home with only two GS appointments
ReplyDeleteKikacheishvili has changed his VAR from Draganov to Lasyk.
ReplyDeleteYou don't have any information about who send to home?
ReplyDeleteSoft first yc voor van Bommel but a correct 2nd yc. NL and Por is always a hot combi. Kikacheishvili lost the match already for a big part
ReplyDeleteI agree that first YC could have been avoided, but it's not a mistake to think about SPA (harsh approach). Second card, no doubts. To follow, OFR for a penalty close to goal line, referee had assessed fair intervention on the ball, the Polish VAR spotted a foul.
DeleteClips
https://streamin.me/v/7068a924
https://streamin.me/v/cd7d94b9 (short moment of the OFR at the end)
I haven't been able to watch the full match but it seems Kikacheshvili signalled that the first YC was for accumalated fouls, and if so was indeed the case I don't think he can have such big complaints.
DeleteLater also a penalty after OFR. Correct recommendation from Lasyk after a reckless challenge by defender, just low enough not to be SFP I think
Georgian referee has a big potential and he is one of the referees who positively surprised at this tournament.
DeleteIn that sense, the committee rightly pushed him, however, it seems that they pushed him too much. This game is a great example of that... on the other hand, I think the committee will support his decision for these two yellow cards because if they don't they will admit that they were wrong to give him this match.
@CarlRDM
DeleteI disagree on what you said, I can't understand why a referee, just because he has been approved to officiate in the knockout stage of this competition (the Georgian, but it could have been anyone else), shouldn't be allowed to make mistakes anymore. It's perfectly reasonable that someone might have one or two good performances and one bad to follow, and judgments should always be made in the medium - long term. From this point of view, we definitely have to say that these short competitions can only offer a general idea, so individual incident might have only relative weight. But right now, I think it's impossible to share what you are saying , that, based on the incidents in this match, the appointment was a mistake by committee. The incidents could have happened anyway. It's not like they can predict the future, and in any case, no referee is infallible; the subject is complex. Sure, the Georgian showed some questionable things in this first half and it could definitely have gone better. Said that, I haven’t watched the second half and I don’t know how the match ended ,
The second half was better, but you are right Chefren.
DeleteThis referee hasnt the best match so far, questionable things, what could do better.
But his tournement was good, and this match between the Dutch and Portugal are always difficult matches.
The management style could be better from Goga, it wasnt that good.
@Cherfren
DeleteMaybe I was vague, but my comment was taken out of context. The problem is not that he made a mistake, but why? The first card was shown for accumalated fouls... which fouls? Let's look for the cause of that error. It's not about misjudging the situation on the field (foul/not foul), but about misunderstanding PFI. Also, losing control of the game can always happen, of course. But what causes it?
Well, in my humble opinion there was no loss of control, not even close…
DeleteThis is not how to manage a match. He knows its his last match this tournament.
ReplyDeleteFirst yellow very soft...
I agree with Hans, he hasnt the full control of the match.
Hmmz, I wonder where the idea comes from that Kikacheishvili’s management was that inadequate. To be honest I thought there were no (major) problems with his management. Somebody wrote in the 1st half he already lost the match, I don’t agree.
ReplyDeleteAs Elliott wrote, Van Bommel’s first caution was because the Dutch team already made many (many!) fouls. He tried to stop that (sensible management I guess) and Van Bommel was the unlucky one. Then the same player decides to make a tackle in a neutral zone, which was unwise and not necessary (I only had the impression he played - or at least touched - the ball as well), resulting in an early sending off. Is that something one should blame the Georgian ref for?
And after the sending off I didn’t recognize serious problems with management, the Dutch didn’t complain that much and the match never came close to boiling over.
Ofc it would have been better for the ref to have recognized the penalty himself, but that’s not management related.
And in the 2nd half there were hardly any problems anymore.
I agree with you completely. In my opinion he was in total control of the game and actually his decisions were well accepted on the field. Second half was kind of faultless. I didn't like the YC for the goalkeeper 10 seconds before the end of the game. If he wanted to do something with time-wasting he should have done that earlier, because that was a totally pointless warning to him. Otherwise I think it was a very good performance from the Georgian.
DeleteDont know why my comment was deleted,all I was asking was is 8 second rule implented only when GK holds the ball or when restart is happening..
ReplyDeleteCause NED GK got YC and the otherday Bono from Al Hilal got corner whistled againsthis team..Both of them restarts.
Sorry for asking.
Probably the deleted comment is a blogger-bug!
DeleteBut concerning the 8 sec rule, when play is dead I believe it’s impossible to award a corner. Imo the rule can only be applied when Gk controls ball with his hands if ball is in play.
ESP - ENG 06'
ReplyDeletePenalty for Spain revoked after OFR.
Didn't expect it to be sent to OFR and overturned tbh.
DeleteAgree, especially now we know that shots on goal are considered differently than other handballs.
DeleteAnd one could argue that there was a movement with the arm, from stuck on the back at the moment the shot was fired, to a little outside the body when it hit the ball. Maybe still ‘in a natural position’, but I could imagine the Var kept quiet here.
Apart from that, based on the position of the referee, the penalty call seemed like a wild guess (which surely could lower the bar of intervention)
someone can explain why there was no penalty?
DeleteWell IMO the offence wasn’t deliberate and as he clearly attempted to put his arm behind his back the position of the arm didn’t make his body unnaturally larger.
DeleteTo me correct decision. However, was it clearly an error? I agreed with English commentary that once it had been given on field, it was never going to be overturned
ReplyDeleteYes he did move his arm from behind his back but it was still in a natural defensive position
I also think the referee has missed a few tactical fouls go and the Spanish are starting to get annoyed (esp as its now 2-0)
Good call by Italian AR2 for 2nd ENG goal. I was surprised the penalty got overturned. Probably wouldn't be given in the Premier League but UEFA tends to give those type of handballs as penalties often.
ReplyDeleteWhy compare to Premier League? That's not often correct!
ReplyDelete23.55, why freekick! Running into the defender!
ReplyDeleteHere the clip with stadium audio.
ReplyDeletehttps://streambug.org/cv/e6269d
Unfortunately, Sozza says only: "Ok... ok.. ok.." and maybe another word after OK, but I can't understand it. All is said by VAR but we can't hear him.
Knowing how we assess handballs in serie A, the reason should be arm in consistent position, close to body and no punishable touch.
Good to see him give 2nd penalty, quickly and with confidence
ReplyDeletehttps://streamin.me/v/d156a438
DeleteSouza needs to remain alert even if he does blow the final whistle. He needed to keep a trailing eye as the frustrated Spanish player made a wild challenge that sparked a mass confrontation. He could have intervened quickly and stemmed the conflict. Had his back to the whole incident.
ReplyDeleteSozza, my bad.
ReplyDeleteKuipers isnt the head of referee in Slovakia.
ReplyDeleteHe is on monday in Romania at the Sf of under 19.
I think it is Carballo
Kuipers everywhere.
DeleteI think Velasco will observe the big games in semifinals and final of under 21. Possible Rosetti as well if Sozza will leave.
I rarely saw so many committee members out in a rather short time, starting from clubs' competitions final, NL final, and now with youth tournaments, committee wants to be absolutely sure before any next step (promotions...).
I think we should know more in this regard from next week.
What a mistake in FRA-DEN, he didn’t see the counter attack and give an offside for france instead of letting play a potential 1v1
ReplyDeleteReally unlucky moment, Denmark defender seemed to be in control. Hoever, van der Eijk should have waited a few seconds
DeleteI would not go as far too say it was a mistake from the referee.
DeleteThe flag could have gone up as soon as the French player blocked the cross, but there's a delay.
Once it's been signalled the Danish defender looks to be in control of the movement of the ball so one can understand why the whistle went at that exact moment.
More misfortune rather than an error on the part of the referee.
Very good YC by Lukjančukas in 16', he punished an unsporting behavior by Italian player, holding the ball between legs to avoid the restart of play. Reported as harsh by commentators and not accepted by players, but this is the classic "Italian mentality".
ReplyDelete28' YC for reckless, let's say this decision can belong to a rather strict approach, we will see the next actions by Lithuanian referee. I think he perceived a certain attitude by Italian side.
DeleteNot a challenging first half for Lukjančukas. We'll see what second half will bring.
DeleteIMO he just confirms that he is the most complete referee in the tournament (with Sozza).
DeleteIt is no coincidence that he is the most experienced in terms of the number of games refereed in the Champions League group stage matches. Simply, experience in this stage of the competition reduces the risk for (big) mistakes.
It is for this reason that I said yesterday that the committee took a risk by appointing Van der Eijk (0 CL matches, 0 EL matches, 3 Conference League matches) and Kikacheishvili (identical statistics) for the 1/4 finals. Of course, both are very talented referees and experience is something that can only be gained if you give a referee a chance. Now, how the referee will use that chance, that is another matter.
To conclude, we have only 3 games left in the tournament, which means that one of the following referees will finish the Euro U21 with only two matches in the group stage: Walsh Minakovic Sylwestrzak Masiyev Fotias
If it is one of the first three referees, who (at least according to statistics) are among the more experienced referees in this tournament, it would be interesting to hear the reason why they didn't have the match in the knockout phase, but less experienced referees got a chance (I have nothing against that either, it's not the point to appoint only the most experienced, of course)
But whether or not the committee was right to make such a choice, that's a completely different pair of sleeves.
Now your point is clear (coming back to what we were discussing earlier), but still, I think sometimes you can also try new names without being too much worried whether you will be right or not. This tournament for the referees who are about to have a bright future, it's indeed only the start...
DeleteThe tournament is also not just about the performance on the field of play. The referees are scrutinised throughout the tournament Their training, attitude towards advice, coaching, their peers etc allows the observers to make choices going forward.
DeleteTwo yellow cards to Gnonto (ITA) in second half, both for reckless, very clear decisions. So far a very good performance by referee, 9 minutes missing but at moment extra times should be played.
ReplyDeleteYep,and now 2nd Rac for protests to Zanotti.
DeleteI mean correct, but missed foul prior.
Now again RC for Italy, but wrong
DeleteHe has just nominated a Scottish referee for the final :)
DeleteJoking of course
Should have whistled the foul before, but then reaction by player and two cards in a row. Italy lost nerves.I think the referee shoud have managed better the situation. To follow, a YC for time wasting to Germany and Italy found the 2-2 goal following a free kick (possible YC for reckless when he whistled foul).
DeleteCommenting the 90 minutes, I think that the Lithuanian could have been more flexible in managing some situations, but the first sending off as well as most of the cards he issued were fully correct.
And now OT.
DeleteWow,what a game,asside referee aspect.
I'm not really a fan of his apparaence but the 2nd yc for Gnoto and this 2 yellow cards for dissent are correct
DeleteHave to say I’m less convinced by the Lithuanian than some here, at least based on tonight’s performance. Sure, as long as nothing happened he did well and had no problems. But when things got more heated he didn’t really appear steady to me. And in general I missed a stronger, more expressive authority. Not sure how he would come through heated champions league games.
ReplyDeleteHis expressive you are right. But i think he do it quite well.
DeleteThe uefa can be satisfied about the level of the most of this referees....
Missed penalty for Germany or was the end of holding outside the box?
ReplyDeleteWhat can you say about the selected referees for this tournament compare to under 19?
ReplyDeleteFor the uefa both are even important.
I see Alberola Rojas what is a very good referee. Or are the referees at that tournament more category two referees?
Lukjančukas is doing his utmost to irritate the Italian national team. Fouls cannot be given for such blatant simulations that even I can see them from home....
ReplyDeleteThis comment is so typical italian.. No words.
DeleteI don't know if Italians see simulations particularly well compared to other peoples, I don't think they have superpowers. As for the reaction of the Italian players towards the end of the match, it is not difficult to understand their state of mind towards the referee, and not only because they played with a man down for 40 minutes because of a mistake (the second RC, not the first one obviously) by Lukjančukas (I'm serious: the foul whistled in favor of Germany in the 119th minute is really an obvious simulation, at that level a referee couldn't be unable to understand it. Of course I didn't mean that there was a specific purpose to irritate the Italian national team, if that's what you understood)
DeleteBut there was no error in both yellow-red cards. And there were free kicks on both sides that weren't fouls.
DeleteThe second RC is certainly correct according to the rules, but it stems from an obvious foul not whistled on the Italian player, who then reacts in an irate manner (given the moment and the situation it could also have been handled with a warning IMHO). I agree with you, however, that the foul selection was not good in general, although some mistakes were more obvious than others
DeleteApart from that I recognized no communication, no management whatsoever to “keep the players with him”. He was just handing out his cards without bringing over the message a sanction should bring. Technically nothing to say against both sending offs, but a referee also needs management and communication skills and Imho the Lithuanian ref did not show these yesterday.
DeleteI have a question on the 3-2 goal for germany. I hope we agree that there is a very obvious simulation by the german forward who is laying in the penalty area. As soon as he recognizes his team scores he jumps up to celebrate with his teammates. If we look at the laws of the game isn't it possible to disallow the goal scored and instead punishing this unsporting behavior by the player with a YC and IFK? I know that this is not what a football fan expects as a decision but as a referee i am always annoyed by these obvious und unsportsmanlike behaviours.
ReplyDeleteThat’s not simulation, that would be classed as feigning injury. Which unless you are a doctor. Is difficult to detect let alone punish.
DeleteAccording to PGMOL, it was already announced to English VAR Michael Salisbury that Germany - Italy would have been his last game at EURO Under 21.
ReplyDeleteFotias for ENG NED
ReplyDeleteWalsh for GER FRA
ENG-NED
DeleteReferee Vassilis Fotias GRE
Assistant referees Andreas Meintanas GRE
Michail Papadakis GRE
Fourth official Elchin Masiyev AZE
Video Assistant Referee Angelos Evangelou GRE
Assistant Video Assistant Referee Cesar Soto Grado ESP
GER-FRA
Referee Nicholas Walsh SCO
Assistant referees Daniel McFarlane SCO
Calum Spence SCO
Fourth official Goga Kikacheishvili GEO
Video Assistant Referee Andrew Dallas SCO
Assistant Video Assistant Referee Piotr Lasyk POL