2024-25 UEFA Nations League, referee appointments for the final and third place game.
Third-Place Play-Off
15:00 CET - Stuttgart (MHP Arena Stuttgart)
GERMANY - FRANCE
Referee: Ivan Kružliak SVK
Assistant Referee 1: Branislav Hancko SVK
Assistant Referee 2: Ján Pozor SVK
Fourth Official: Erik Lambrechts BEL
Video Assistant Referee: Michael Fabbri ITA
Assistant Video Assistant Referee: Luca Pairetto ITA
UEFA Referee Observer: Jørn West Larsen DEN
UEFA Delegate: Fernand Meese BEL
Final
21:00 CET - Munich (Allianz Arena)
PORTUGAL - SPAIN
Referee: Sandro Schärer SUI
Assistant Referee 1: Jonas Erni SUI
Assistant Referee 2: Susann Küng SUI
Fourth Official: Serdar Gözübüyük NED
Video Assistant Referee: Fedayi San SUI
Assistant Video Assistant Referee 1: Dennis Johan Higler NED
Assistant Video Assistant Referee 2: Pol van Boekel NED
UEFA Referee Observer: Vladimir Šajn SVN
UEFA Delegate: Radenko Mijatović SVN
So instead of announcing the refereeing team 2 days before the final, you can replace AR2 (who was announced 1 month ago) because Portugal is in the final.
ReplyDeleteYeah, it makes perfect sense....
Agreed. Twice an assistant referee is erased as if he doesn’t even exist. Such poor management.
DeleteAnd I’m not even mentioning the lobbying by Björn Kuipers. Higler and Van Boekel involved in two UEFA finals in one week. Give me a break. Van Boekel is a friend of his and is allowed to stay despite one controversy after another. Where is Dieperink? And please, start properly coaching Nagtegaal. He’s the only one with Elite potential. Kuipers is a worthless referee officer.
And Gözübüyük is the fourth official. The same man who recently publicly showered Kuipers with praise. I am disappointed by this management. This is blatant cronyism imo.
DeleteAnd let me guess: was Zeinstra appointed as an additional assistant referee? Maybe Björn Kuipers should start looking beyond friendships and people who sing his praises and focus on quality instead. To make sure there’s an Elite-level referee ready to take over when Makkelie retires.
"Twice an assistant referee is erased as if he doesn’t even exist" When was the other time this happened?
DeleteOther topic. Interesting situation. DOGSO or SPA for you?
ReplyDeletehttps://www.instagram.com/p/DKdOr0BNZg_/
Clearly not DOGSO - no chance to get to the ball. Possibly not even SPA, but such a situation would look weird without a card, so yeah YC.
DeleteGood appointment for Kung but in strange circumstances similar to the euros with Scharers AR unable to do Portugal games.
ReplyDeleteRosetti&co shouldn't have been so hasty and rush in their initial announcement of the refereeing trio, with no proper thinking about all the options and reprecussions. The final replacement, although playing on the "politically correct" field, doesn't hide the real shame for casting doubt on the integrity and professionalism of referees, and moreover - for casting a shadow on referees' allegiance and loyalty to the nation-state they are citizens of.
ReplyDeleteFinally somebody who actually whistles simulation and YC, even if it was only after VAR
ReplyDeleteVery, very long VAR check, but finally we have the correct outcome. Dive, indirect free kick and YC. Kruzliak to be praised to give that YC and not to decide to go with a drop ball.
ReplyDeleteDive ? for me there is a clear push by Hernandez, not really sure that is the correct decision, at least if you don't give PK there is no simulation here.
DeleteNo, I disagree. Player clearly tries to perceive the referee be trying to initiate a contact with the goalkeeper, the movement towards him is obvious. Push is definitely not enough and not the reason for the fall. German commentators agree with that YC for a dive, correctly so.
DeleteRef_1707 is right, it was a clear swan dive. At a certain point, one has to say that Kruzliak just guesses when the ball is in the penalty area (phantom Euro handball and then Inter-Feyenoord disaster). For what it is worthing, whilst watching on a second screen, the simulation was quite clear for me...
Deletehttps://www.streambug.io/cv/16ddd4
Digne could have been sent off with a SYC (24') but I agree with the refs, it wasn't a foul committed.
so if we follow you, Adeyemi should have been sent off here for a dive aswell in 49'
DeleteNo penalty for Germany, okay. But the yellow card was totally over the top
ReplyDeleteGood application of the delayed whistle technique, waiting to award a free kick for handball (45‘).
ReplyDeleteutterly embarassing the length of time these VAR checks are taking and the length of time at the monitor
ReplyDelete+1
DeleteWith all respect, Kruzliak is so far out of his depth that I feel sorry for him :/.
ReplyDeletehttps://www.streambug.io/cv/ec3efa
DeleteAgree, loose control of his game, now players know that he's committing mistakes and loose trust on him.
Deleteno doubt we will also a small amount of added time instead of the amount that should be added on
ReplyDeleteNow, for me incorrect VAR intervention for a possible foul before 1-1. Full perception by Kruzliak which was not obviously wrong. If the foul was called immediately, VAR would have had to support, however, not a case for the VAR if the referee decides to let the game flow…
ReplyDeleteCome on…ridiculous comment. Clear foul.
DeleteKruzliak isn’t a top referee. Crystal foul missed. Long VAR checked either the situation is clear. No words…
ReplyDeleteEmbarrassing performance by Kruzliak so far.
ReplyDeleteEmbarassing referee begore this match... its a joke he gets this match
DeleteFor me it was a foul by Rabiot and a YC because he used his ellbow as a tool. Kruzliak should have gone with his original decision.
ReplyDeleteThen it should be a free kick to Germany, but you still can't give the goal as then Füllkrug would get an advantage from the foul he committed. The goal can't stand either way
DeleteIt is not a foul by Füllkrug imo. At first I thought so too, but there is only one foul committed, which is Rabiot‘s ellbow to Füllkrugs face. The subsequent fall by both players is because of that ellbow. Therefore advantage and goal for Germany would be correct.
DeleteI think you don’t see the same match than people here…
DeleteThe elbow did not cause the foul... Füllkrug comes in with speed and charges into Rabiot, contact would've been made either way
Delete@Referee analyst, instead of passive aggressively going at me, why don‘t you explain your view. The only foul was Rabiot‘s elbow. To you point @Elliot, the contact that would have been made as you say could have been a fair shoulder to shoulder challenge. But we can’t know for sure. The contact after the elbow is caused because of that initial foul. It surely is not an obvious mistake by Kruzliak. To me the goal should have stood and the VAR should have not intervened.
DeleteSorry, but Kruzliak is not in control anymore. Players do not show respect, not reacting to his whistles. Not a good performance.
ReplyDelete
ReplyDeleteReferee analyst8 June 2025 at 16:25
No prevention before corner. Clear mutual pushs by players : no reaction. After, no authority, players not interested in ref authority. What a nightmare for slovakian umpire. Lubos Michel is very far here !
ReplyDelete
Kruzliak seems to me a good referee, but he has these small details... he has never taken the "big step"
ReplyDeleteAt the end, this final four just confirm that UEFA appointments for this tournament was really weird to me.
ReplyDeleteRosetti to watch Schärer and team in the stadium.
ReplyDeleteOn the penalty situation it seemed that Kruzliak waited for AR decision and just confirmed it. I agree that it was a simulation, correct VAR intervention, but too long OFR. However these incidents are always very difficult to assess, and referee without a good angle is in big trouble.
ReplyDeleteAbout the second OFR, referee must react on the field immediately here, it's impossible to play on, clear foul.
Another very poor performance by Slovakian referee, maybe this one better than the famous Inter game, but still... impossible to think he can get something big in future.
19' first YC to POR14, a good decision for my taste for quite a reckless action and after a few hard tackles by portuguese side...
ReplyDeleteGreat decision by AR1 for the equaliser
ReplyDeleteIt is very good when referees decide to officiate a game without sparing cards. Even in a final, so far I think the best approach by Schaerer.
ReplyDeleteI agree. I am quite sure Vincic f.e. would have given none of them... The first YC had its effect in my opinion as it calmed the game down a bit in terms of hard challenges.
ReplyDeleteI’d like to see the Spanish opener once again. Wasn’t Oyarzabal in an offside position challenging for the ball when Ruben Días cleared it (being in contact with Días)? Or wasn’t the ball headed in the center of the penalty area in the first place, making Oyarzabal onside?
ReplyDeleteAnother very good decision. No foul there
ReplyDeleteIMO correct play on in the APP for Spanish 2nd goal, also good play on by Küng, both ARs with spot on calls.
ReplyDeleteVery good first half by Schärer and his team so far.
ReplyDeleteVery good first half by the swiss officials, but Portugal unhappy nontheless. Will be interesting in the second half, espacially managing Bruno Fernandes, Ruben Dias and Ronaldo.
ReplyDeleteI liked the very stern warning by Schärer for the late challenge against Cucurella.
Another good onside call
ReplyDeleteSo far a good game from Schärer , also very good AR2 on the second goal from the Spanish, no offside offence!
ReplyDeleteHave we seen the appointments for the U21-Finals in Slovakia?
ReplyDeleteThe tournament is starting on Wednesday so I suppose we”ll have the first appointments, following the 2 days-before way, tomorrow.
DeleteA guess the person in charge of added time isnt very good at maths
ReplyDeleteYeah, that was too little. I expected at least 4 minutes.
DeleteIt’s all kicking off, disgraceful behaviour swarming the referee.
ReplyDeleteAnother good decision not to fall for a penalty there. Afterwards it is Leao who should have been receiving a YC...
ReplyDeleteWhen a Spanish player deliberately pushes his opponent in his own penalty area while the ball is in play, isn’t that a penalty?
ReplyDeleteMissed this while I was typing below. Yes, I think this is the big technical question on the 99' situation. The only way to avoid it is if Scharer booked Mendes for something he did before that push. But we all know he didn't...
DeleteCompletely agree. I think VAR checking had to be more carefully and we can avoid PK with IFK for dissent by portuguese player before pushing. Technically speaking, Big mess by Schaerer here !
DeleteVery good Schärer a his team so far.
ReplyDeleteIf it's in the goalkeepers hands after an offside, play advantage!!!! Completely agree with the above on added time too, I'm fairly sure we won't see a second half with +2' in the CWC
ReplyDelete99.05, only one caution for each team in that massconfrontation is too soft, he is not strong enough!!
ReplyDeleteWhat do more cautions accomplish?
DeleteOn 99', however, the original sin is not booking Mendes for the dive. Scharer knew it was a dive. If he blows the whistle and just cautions him, you prevent most (or all) of the afters. Instead he waves the appeal away and turns his back, opening the door to all the problems.
ReplyDeleteAlso, if the cautions are to Mendes and Baena... well, Baena pushes Mendes first. Clearly so. And I think there's a chance that push was in the penalty area. No one is going to ask for or expect it, but I wonder about the restart being technically wrong. But selling a Portuguese DFK (or, worse, penalty!) would be an absolutely nightmare, particularly when he should have just booked the dive to begin with.
Sensible outcome here, but we don't always see the most sensible outcome with VAR. And more assertive refereeing would have avoided all of it.
If it was inside it’s definitely a VAR situation where he should go back to give an indirect free kick + yellow for the dive and a yellow for that push.
DeleteNo, sorry @VG. You can't do that via VAR. Scharer didn't call simulation live on the field. And simulation isn't reviewable. The reviewable incident would be the push by Baena. There's no justification to go back to the simulation because that's not an APP infraction.
DeleteScharer could have called the simulation live. And he should have. Or, once he blew the whistle he could pretend that's what he called all along. But you can't get there via VAR.
You didn't understand what I say.
DeleteYou said to use VAR to go back and give an IFK and yellow for the dive. Unless you didn't write what you meant, I understood. There's no path to using VAR to go back and give the simulation card here.
DeleteNow, Scharer can *pretend* he wanted to give the simulation card the whole time. Or say that Mendes' was booked for dissent before the push from Baena. Those are options to get out of punishing Baena's push as the reason for the stoppage.
But VAR to get the simulation isn't one here. If you mean something different, you need to write something different.
I think overall a very good performance by the swiss refereeing crew. Schärer not being afraid to really referee the game, with charisma, but also with cards if necessairy, and both ARs flawless as far as I saw. Well done!
ReplyDeleteTotally agree. Excellent performance by Schärer.
DeleteWell done to the Swiss team, there’s a bright future ahead for Swiss refereeing.
ReplyDeleteScharer has secured his place at next year's World Cup. Busacca must be proud of him after his retirement in 2011 and to see a Swiss referee excelling again.
ReplyDeleteGood performance by Scharer who is maybe unlucky not to go to the CWC. Good calls by both AR's throughout the game also. Still a strange situation that UEFA appointed someone originally who only had a 50% chance of being able to do the final (De Almeida)
ReplyDeleteagree, him and Peljto deserved their call.
DeleteI really hope that Collina reviews Taylor and Vincic regarding the Club World Cup (for me, both are irregular) and looks fondly at Peljto and Scharer, two considered revelations of these European finals. They are requesting a ticket to next year's WC.
Deletemmm he absolutely won’t :/…but as someone said before, both are strong and almost lock options for U20 in Chile.
DeleteI'm a little perplexed by what seems like a prevailing thought here that the CWC appointment is something magical that everyone desired. Just a few counterpoints here:
Delete1) The CWC appointees will not all be the WC26 appointees.
2) This isn't yet a prestigous tournament. Expect small crowds and a lot of minor games.
3) Every referee is at the end of a LONG season. I think more than a few would prefer the break to needing to be *on* for another month in the United States.
Think about it this way. If you're Scharer would you rather officiate Portugal v Spain with all their best players for a European trophy OR, say, Aukland City versus Boca Juniors in the midday heat of Nashville?
Sure, there's something to be said about being under FIFA's eye. But Scharer will get that opportunity at the U20s or U17s. I expect he's quite happy he got this match over a CWC appointment.
+1
DeleteUriah Rennie, the first black Premier League referee, has died at the age of 65. Rest in eternal peace Uriah! :(
ReplyDeleteRequiescat in pace! My sincere condolences to the closest ones!
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