KO stage of 2025-26 UEFA Champions Legue starts with the play-offs. Referee assignemnts for the first legs, first set of games, to be played on 17 February 2026.
18:45 CET - Istanbul (Ali Sami Yen Spor Kompleksi - RAMS Park)
GALATASARAY (TUR) - JUVENTUS (ITA)
Referee: Danny Makkelie NED
Assistant Referee 1: Hessel Steegstra NED
Assistant Referee 2: Jan de Vries NED
Fourth Official: Allard Lindhout NED
Video Assistant Referee: Bastian Dankert GER
Assistant Video Assistant Referee: Benjamin Brand GER
UEFA Referee Observer: Howard Webb ENG
UEFA Delegate: Arturs Gaidels LVA
21:00 CET - Monaco (Stade Louis II)
AS MONACO (FRA) - PARIS SAINT-GERMAIN (FRA)
Referee: Jesús Gil Manzano ESP
Assistant Referee 1: Ángel Nevado Rodríguez ESP
Assistant Referee 2: Guadalupe Porras Ayuso ESP
Fourth Official: Guillermo Cuadra Fernández ESP
Video Assistant Referee: Carlos Del Cerro Grande ESP
Assistant Video Assistant Referee: Valentín Pizarro Gómez ESP
UEFA Referee Observer: Dejan Filipović SRB
UEFA Delegate: Frédéric Veraghaenne BEL
21:00 CET - Lisbon (Estádio do Sport Lisboa e Benfica)
SL BENFICA (POR) - REAL MADRID CF (ESP)
Referee: François Letexier FRA
Assistant Referee 1: Cyril Mugnier FRA
Assistant Referee 2: Mehdi Rahmouni NED
Fourth Official: Jérémie Pignard FRA
Video Assistant Referee: Jérôme Brisard FRA
Assistant Video Assistant Referee: Jarred Gillett ENG
UEFA Referee Observer: Nicola Rizzoli ITA
UEFA Delegate: David Findlay SCO
21:00 CET - Dortmund (Signal Iduna Park)
BORUSSIA DORTMUND (GER) - ATALANTA BC (ITA)
Referee: Serdar Gözübüyük NED
Assistant Referee 1: Patrick Inia NED
Assistant Referee 2: Rogier Honig NED
Fourth Official: Jeroen Manschot NED
Video Assistant Referee: Pol van Boekel NED
Assistant Video Assistant Referee: Bram van Driessche BEL
UEFA Referee Observer: William Young SCO
UEFA Delegate: Karl Espen Eriksen NOR
Makkelie for another Gala game in CL. after a short time. hmm
ReplyDeleteIt's a big assignment for Makkelie.
DeleteItalian team involved in a very challenging atmosphere in Istanbul.
About the fact that he had handled the club from TUR earlier, well, we see even same referees with same teams two matchdays in a row, now there was the winter break in the middle, so... this assignment is not closer to previous one.
I'm sure he is aware the kind of game he is about to officiate, potentially a very challenging one. Must be very ready and alert.
Strong appointments.
ReplyDeleteIt’s great to see that Makkelie continues to enjoy the full trust of the committee. His five matches in the UCL so far have gone smoothly, so this is a logical appointment.
Together with Gözübüyük once again on an Italian team. Letexier can also expect a heated evening at Benfica, especially after the last encounter between the sides.
Gozubuyuk for Atalanta in Dortmund is another good choice for the other Dutch, in my opinion this one will be by far more football-focused than Istanbul's clash.
ReplyDeleteLetexier for Benfica - Real Madrid is maybe a choice made by committee even after having observed what happened on MD8.
No fear by Rosetti about potentially spoiling the French with this choice.
And then Gil Manzano in Monaco, a referee that quite often got PSG. Maybe more than Sanchez Martinez, who, differently from him, will go at WC.
Years ago, Makkelie was the best referee in Europe alongside Kuipers and Orsato, and Rosetti often relied on him for the most difficult matches. Starting with the Champions League final which was given to Turpin instead of him, despite the Dutchman's more impressive CV, Makkelie began to lose his way a little, and many referees less talented than him have refereed big matches in his place. Makkelie has also often been treated badly: in the last European Championship, for example, after an excellent performance in Italy-Croatia, he was sent home for no reason. I hope he can definitively return to being the great referee we saw a few years ago.
ReplyDeleteFully agree. It’s great to see that this season he’s performing at a high level again and clearly back to his old standards. He seems to have fully regained his confidence. The trust from the committee clearly does him good and appears to bring out the best in him.
DeleteAlso, when you look at the observers assigned to him; Hansson, Dallas and Webb, those are serious names. Appointments like that often indicate that UEFA is keeping a very close eye on a referee for the latter stages of the competition.
Comparing Makkelie with Kuipers and Orsato is joke of the weekend. Congratulations!
Delete"in the last European Championship, for example, after an excellent performance in Italy-Croatia, he was sent home for no reason."
DeleteNot agreeing.
Missed very clear penalty that then needed VAR intervention, had mixed criterium that only saw punishments and cards fro Croatian players and had ridiculous 8 minutes of stoppage time.
So maybe he was not rightly sent home,but excellent performance?!?!??!yeah right.
Makkelie has had a superb career, often called upon for big games, so the comparison is perfectly reasonable. People have their opinions but it’s not ridiculous to compare. I also do think he’s been badly treated at times - happy to use him repeatedly for many tough assignments, but then drop him for errors. Easy to be a great referee if you’re mostly hidden from tough games … I personally thought he was great in the Croatia v Italy game - strong, didn’t fall for tricks, wouldn’t be pressured, exactly what we need from top referees. If he’s being lined up for final, it’s about time in my opinion.
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DeleteSurprisingly good appointment for Gozubuyuk.
ReplyDeleteAlso, unexpected appearance of Manzano.
Expected for Letexier, and good sign of trust for Makkelie.
I like this overall
Very curious about Makkelie in Istanbul. There was a lot of discussion about Makkelie performance yesterday. Missed a blatant red card for Holtby (maybe someone can post a clip?) and played unfortunate major role in a relegation match. I keep repeating it for those who don't regularly watch the Eredivisie. Gözübüyük is having a much better season.
ReplyDeleteGözübüyük missed a clear RC for SFP last week, but the difference is that he was actually called for an OFR by his VAR (van Boekel). Yesterday, Makkelie wasn’t called to the screen by a young VAR. I think, it is a good thing that Makkelie primarily worked with independent foreign VARs in UEFA competitions.
DeleteRizzoli observing Letexier - the man has taste. The French is the leading candidate for a final, alongside Oliver, in my view. Letexier is not a borderline World Cup candidate, so I’m curious if there’s more behind Rizzoli’s observation.
ReplyDelete@Chefren: potential appointment for Ireland VS Italy (semi), perhaps? With Turpin locked-in for a final.
I expected a Spaniard with PSG, but not this one. Gil Manzano seems to be rebuilding momentum in UEFA competitions. Curious if Sánchez will appear too.
Makkelie: past his peak in my view, though still a joy to watch on his best days. In 2020/21 he was Europe’s best imo. After that he dipped; at times it even felt like he was wary of getting injured and therefore tried to limit his running. Makkelie needs trust by UEFA and a reliable VAR.
Good appointment for Gözübüyük. Indeed, he is performing well domestically, grown with Zeinstra in his team; question is whether he maintains that level with a new AR and beyond national borders. His no-nonsense style fits the Eredivisie: consistency and clarity over “man- management”. A yellow is a yellow, even early on. In the Netherlands it is not considered credible to wave play-on in the first half, only to produce a softer yellow in the 80th minute under the banner of temperature management. Internationally, though, Makkelie still has the edge, especially in more challenging games.
GALATASARAY (TUR) - JUVENTUS (ITA)
ReplyDeleteReferee: Danny Makkelie
On paper, this game seems like the most important one on Tuesday night. However, I disagree with that perspective. From a technical standpoint, it may not be the highest quality match. Instead, it feels like a game driven more by emotion the energy of the crowd and players who are motivated by the atmosphere around them rather than purely by their quality.
Seeing Danny Makkelie appointed for this match is not surprising. He has experience managing games where emotions play a major role. In fixtures like this, emotional control can be more influential than technical precision. These are not always ideal matches for a strictly technical referee, they require someone who can manage personalities, read the temperature of the game and Danny Makkelie is right one.
SL BENFICA (POR) - REAL MADRID CF (ESP)
Referee: François Letexier
After the unexpectedly overwhelming performance by Davide Massa, where he was forced to adjust his approach between the two halves, However this time this game requires a clean and controlled performance from start to finish. François Letexier seems appropriate one for this game since this game likely to demand fewer controversial interventions and more attention to small but decisive details.
https://x.com/giancarlomazz18/status/2023097721880752170?s=46
ReplyDeletePairetto sending off Orban for dissent.
Opinions ( towards the end of the clip you can see it)
Are Serie A match reports in Italy of public domain like in Spain?
DeleteIn LaLiga when there's a sending off for abusive language we eventually know what the ejected player/manager said.
If so, I have never seen them.
DeleteAnd in this case, I feel it’s a gesture, I don’t think he said anything..
No, the match reports are not public in Italy.
DeleteIn the case of Pairetto, the player should have said something to referee, only the gesture is "not enough" for a direct red card, but rather a YC for dissenting gesture (it's not "fuck you" gesture but just a standard reaction with arms).
However, the story about this matchday in serie A is particular, all comes from previous Coppa Italia game Napoli - Como in which referee Manganiello was heavily insulted by Napoli's coach Antonio Conte. He said to referee: "Dickhead! go to rewatch it" (sorry, but it's the literal translation).
Fourth official Ayroldi was close but he didn't want to inform referee about that, he pretended not to hear.
Very likely after that, Rocchi asked for more severity to his referees, in this matchday in almost all serie A and B games we had a player or coach, especially from the benches, sent off. See as example Fabbri in Pisa - Milan. Many other sending offs. In short, it's the usual severity coming from guidelines, then a little time passes and the referees will start getting insulted again. Nothing new. However, there are for sure some referees more used to show red cards than others, but basically that's explanation.
Honestly if you follow all serie A and B games, you fully understand how Rocchi works, very questionable way, once again, let me say.
I agree with Chefren that Rocchi's handling of protests is highly questionable (Fabbri and Maresca usually use RC very readily, while everyone else tolerates anything). In general, the issue is broader: yesterday Chiellini, now a member of Juventus' management, complained about the poor standard of Italian referees and implicitly called for Rocchi's resignation. In fact, this week too, first in Coppa Italia (RC not given in both Napoli-Como and Bologna-Lazio) and then in Inter-Juventus, serious mistakes compromised important matches. I am uncertain: I believe Rocchi is mainly guilty of two things, namely his confusing interpretation of the VAR protocol and his tendency to constantly hide mistakes in OpenVar. However, it is also true that never in recent decades has the standard of Serie A referees been so low: apart from Guida, Massa, Mariani, Doveri, Colombo, La Penna and a few others, current referees already struggle to officiate fourth-tier matches in Serie A, and in any case, none of them are good enough to referee big matches such as Juventus-Inter. If the standard is so low that it is impossible to make fewer than three crucial mistakes per week, is it really possible to solve the problem simply by sending Rocchi away?
DeleteIt's not just Rocchi,I mean it's easy to point finger at him and say he's not good enough cause he is the leader in terms of officiating.
DeleteBut just quality of refs is just not good enough the way we used to have it in Italy.
They got far away from basics,they became lenient in everything following European trend instead of creating and being their own like they did in past.
Orsato,Rocchi,Collina,Rossetti,Rizzoli I could go on and on.
They all followed basic principles of referreeing,but they also used communication skills.
They were handling the match the way teams were playing.
If teams played agressively, logical thing is that number of cards would he higher
Nowadays,we have refs that have one gameplan,and they are sticking to that plan from 1st to last minute.
Como-Fiorentina is the best example.
We had Marcheti as main ref.
Inconsitency with his decisions in that match was off the charts,some big fouls were not punished at all altercations and provocations were not punished at all and that's why we had fiery last 15 minutes where we had frustrated Como that had Morata sent off.
And that's just nit Marchetti,it's the same story whole season.
Couple of years ago we has Maresca and he had his famous Roma-Milan match where he gave Ibrahimovic YC and then Hernandez git RC.
In that match we saw 11 YC's and we can make case that all 11 were justified.
But,that's not what any federation wants they want quiet matches with as small as bookings could be.
To be clear,Maresca had that style for couple years, and was probably only one that had that old school style.
After while he modernized and became also as every other ref not a lot of bookings and everything can be solved with talking.
And as far as quality..Italy has Guida,Doveri,Mariani,Massa and other Uefa refs.
Only Guida has been consistent atleast that's what it seems like to me.
Other,not so much.
And when we have someone like Doveri that gets every big match as a reward snd is heavily rewarded for his 0 card policy,then I don't know whats the goal for Italian federation and refereeing in the future.
I saw a replay this morning and the player seems to say absolutely nothing? You could see his mouth and he says nothing? And the gesture was YC dissent at best (could just ignore to be honest).
DeleteAlways good to see Makkelie in charge of UCL big matches… We who watch all his games must fall for knowing as of now that this is probably a promising path to something more for him this year… At the very least, one must NEVER deny the possibility of him relishing the big showpiece dates this season.
ReplyDeleteThe more I think about it: Letexier for Ireland vs Italy would make perfect sense.
ReplyDeleteRizzoli observed Zwayer last year when Italy vs Norway could still have been decisive for the standings, and Zwayer was mentioned as the logical appointment for a “decisive” match. In the end it turned into a dead rubber and the appointment wasn’t needed.
Now Rizzoli is observing Letexier. Given the criticism in Italy after Inter vs Liverpool, Zwayer might no longer be the most logical choice. Letexier is that now.
Rosetti ahead of playoffs
ReplyDeletehttps://www.uefa.com/news-media/news/02a2-1ff0d45ab02b-55d8a73750e0-1000--roberto-rosetti-outlines-key-refereeing-priorities-ahead-of/
Any connection between no Italian referees in first legs and such statements? Hard to believe, but for sure Rosetti is not happy with Rocchi management, his ideas are very clear.
DeleteNow I'm curious about Di Bello, who will be VAR at World Cup, he made the mistake in Genoa - Napoli by calling Massa for that very soft penalty (it was then officially announced by AIA that it was not even penalty for them...). Nevertheless, the former FIFA referee from Apulia should get a game as VAR in CL, I think. But maybe, with a different style than domestic Rocchi's chaos...
A lot of "stating the obvious" quotes from Rosetti in that article not really indicating any changes, I think.
DeleteBut some interesting links in there:
https://www.uefa.com/uefachampionsleague/news/029d-1ebd52c0e86d-cc44b76e6bc1-1000--uefa-champions-league-var-technical-explanations/
https://www.uefa.com/uefachampionsleague/news/029d-1eba5b367fc8-1c51c5cbbd69-1000--who-is-the-referee-which-officials-are-in-charge-of-the-uefa/
https://www.uefa.com/news-media/news/02a2-1fe8344a264a-bea70fce0b67-1000--new-uefa-awards-to-celebrate-refereeing-excellence/
This is one of the most challenging matches ever in Champions League, as somebody stated surely the level of both teams involved is not the best one can find, but about all the rest, well...
ReplyDeleteAnd there are also players very used to exaggerate contacts.
Missing second yellow card for Juve player Cambiasio in the 33rd minute
ReplyDeleteDisagree. Wrong DFK imo. Extreme acting from the GAL player holding his face
DeleteTerrible broadcasting from Istanbul. All big incidents shown from a very long distance (only offside camera angles for both PAIs, no replay of a duel prior to Juventus' second goal Galatasaray protested about, etc.). I hope it's not driven by UEFA for 'less VAR interventions' purpose.
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DeleteAccording to what I can remember, it's not the first time from Istanbul that broadcaster is poor. It shouldn't be anything on purpose by UEFA, I would say.
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DeleteGood night BIG
Deletevery tough first half for makkelie but job well done so far.
ReplyDeletepossible 2YC for 27 juventus but i agree with no card as was soft foul and galatasaray player was never reaching ball
IMO Makkelie did miss a 2nd YC for JUB#27 if he whistles the foul, which was very soft and I think mainly suggested by his AR. It would have been more clever to play on IMO.
ReplyDeleteIf you look at the position of the first YC offence by #27 (very close to sideline), then players obviously expect a 2nd for foul actually closer to the penalty area.
23' PAI illegal use of arm
ReplyDeletehttps://streamff.link/v/25933322
30' PAI handball
https://streamff.link/v/bd7baf2d
33' Possible 2YC to 27JUV for SPA
https://streamff.link/v/50c02a70
36' Off-ball strike by 22JUV followed by cards to team members
https://streamff.link/v/c1d8fb99
23' It's very hard to jugde without a closer replay but it seems to me not even careless, just a touch, so correct to play on, I know the Nigerian player from his experience in italy, used to act in this way more than others.
Delete30' Really impossible to make an assessment, when you see that VAR doesn't intervene and knowing UEFA approach about handball, we must be rather sure that it was checked and not punishable.
33' Exaggerated reaction by Galatasaray player, pretending to be hit in face, only for that, I wouldn't have whistled a foul here! About the SPA: for me supportable if given, but not a mistake if not given. Reason: close to sideline, player has still to turn to the goal and there are other defender. Not an extremely quick attack.
36' At maximum YC.
In some moments of first half, in my opinion Makkelie decided to be wise with cards when possible.
23´ nothing; 30´ nothing; 33´ nothing (rather wrong DFK, mistake also for AR1); 36´ missing YC, especially if DFK was given (decision made by intuition).
DeleteMakkelie you are so soft
ReplyDeleteGood 2CT in 68'
ReplyDeleteAgree, correct 2YC.
DeleteSad to see the downfall of what was once a top refereee.
ReplyDeleteIn my opinion, this is a match with the following level of difficulty: as a referee, you have to see what happens, then you have to perform a sort of meta-refereeing to calibrate the players' reactions, which are often exaggerated after every foul, and find the right measure of what actually happened. I invite you to try to watch every duel with these eyes.
ReplyDeleteContrast this to Letexier’s philosophy, which is quite simply “call what I see, whistle for what I think are fouls, pull out the yellow card when I think is reckless.” Even in a match that had huge potential to become completely out of control. Rather than build a house of cards, Letexier simply referees. And in this manner, everyone on the field trusts him because they can see that his decisions are honest and true to himself, not a manipulable balancing act.
DeleteCorrect. For that (but not only for that) till now Makkelie performance has been simply the top, IMO.
ReplyDeleteWhats the point of adding only two minutes of stoppage time? Apart from saving Juve's last chance in the second leg?
ReplyDeleteI think it was a top refereeing performance in an extremely difficult match.I expected a challenging one but this was even more than my idea. The return match, despite a 5-2 victory by Galatasaray, could be even tougher, although it is impossible to reproduce the atmosphere of Istanbul and honestly this made everything today.
ReplyDeleteTotally agree with you Chefren. Makkelie was excellent tonight and truly demonstrated his management skills. In such a heated atmosphere, he remained uninfluenced and was fully accepted by all the players. He handled the disciplinary aspects well and stayed in control throughout. UEFA will be very pleased.
DeleteOne word: MASTERCLASS by makkelie and crew!
ReplyDeleteSoft second yellow from Danny Makkelie IMO. You could even argue it was a foul the other way. Decisions like that kill the tie before the second leg.
ReplyDeleteSadly Makelle has lost the aura, respect and stature he used to have when refereeing at his peak. Tonight he weak and bought everything the Turkish team sold him
ReplyDeleteDon't think Makkelie delivered what was expected of him, imo
ReplyDeleteTop class performance by Makkelie tonight. He can easly put himself as candidate for CL final this year!
ReplyDeleteCorrect Penalty and YC awarded in Monaco by Manzano
ReplyDeleteIndeed, the match in Lisbon seems the exact opposite of Istanbul. In BEN–RMA, barely any fouls. Technical players, high tempo, clean execution.
ReplyDeleteIstanbul? A different planet. More emotion than technique. Clumsy challenges. Theatrical reactions. Constant exaggeration. When you get that cocktail of chaos, it becomes incredibly difficult for any referee to find a consistent line. You’re not just officiating - you’re managing raw emotion and trying to channel it into something playable.
And that contrast perfectly illustrates how UEFA (and FIFA as well) tend to deploy these referees. Letexier is the man for the big clubs and elite international sides. High-intensity, fast-paced, technical matches. He brings positioning, stamina, and surgical precision. Those are games where reading the rhythm matters more than surviving the chaos.
Makkelie, on the other hand, often gets handed the ugly ones. The emotionally charged fixtures. Southern teams. Matches that are more about managing tempers than managing tactics. That’s a thankless assignment. You’re constantly firefighting instead of refereeing.
It does make me wonder whether we’ll see Makkelie appointed to bigger, more technical clashes this season - or whether he’s destined to keep showing up for the “challenging” nights without the prestige that usually comes with them.
+1
Delete+1 Excellently said Anonymous
DeleteFun fact: both referees are a guarantee for many goals this season. Makkelie is averaging roughly 5.4 goals per game, Letexier ~ 4.4.
DeleteAfter today’s second YC, his season is likely over. But we’ll see what happens next year.
DeleteHahah joke of the day :-)
Delete@Anonymous:
Deletejust a word: RELIABILITY. It may be played in different ways depending the specific leadership characteristics of referees. This happens for Letexier and Mekkelie, too. Both reliable.
No foul given before PSG 2-1. PSG makes contact but the Monaco player goes down very dramatically. Think VAR was right not to get involved as it wasn't a 100% foul in my opinion.
ReplyDelete+1
Delete37’: Outstanding Letexier which Benfica « cinema » on soft air contact. No overreaction, calm and firm with Top Elite aura behavior/ Well done. Nothing and clear warning to Portuguese health crew to come down and stop talking. Masterclass of management here.
ReplyDeleteNot very difficult first half for French crew but perfect copy by Letexier, Mugnier and Rahmouni. Nothing to say. Very sure and rapid decisions level.
ReplyDeleteRC for SFP after OFR by Gil Manzano, original decision was YC.
ReplyDeleteLetexier missed a clear yellow card for a blatant dive by the real madrid left back and now the game is about to get very difficult after vini scores
ReplyDeleteCome on…Very good decision of no foul. No mandatory YC live without replays. And Masterclass of management with very difficult racisme incidents involved Vinicius who was correctly YCarded for provocative attitude after the goal. Good RC to a Benfica bench member. High tension but boss behavior.
DeleteRacism against Vinicius I think
ReplyDeleteYes, cross sign by French referee.
Deletevery difficult, and frankly sad, situation. Tensions are going to go up 10x now - very high focused required by the French crew
DeleteWe cannot assume what happened. Everything is possible. Vinicius could have misheard, or be overreacting, or be completely fabricating something. Without evidence we cannot assume.
DeleteGözübüyük 1H:
ReplyDelete18' harsh YC 49DOR - imo neither SPA nor reckless
27' possible YC 3DOR (and 29ATA) for UB
40' very good YC 3ATA for off-the-ball holding, YC 19ATA for dissent shown in a quite agitated way but still good to see action against such behaviour
45+1' okay YC 9ATA for reckless challenge
Absolutely MASTER on the pitch. Bravo François. We will see the next.
ReplyDeleteHe really is the best. Other referees would have come out of the long stoppage and said “this game as volatile, let me Manage The Game by modifying my decision making to placate the right people.” Instead; Letexier kept it cert simple; if he thinks it’s really a foul, he blows the whistle. If he thinks it’s really a yellow card, he pulls out the yellow card. He did not try to create a precarious balancing act of managing perception, as many weaker referees would have done. Through this strategy, no one doubts that his decisions are, at a bare minimum his real honest opinion as opposed to a manipulable balancing act.
DeletePerfect sum up ;)
DeleteHe scored a good goal, let him be happy, it was too much to give Vinicius a yellow card,that made him angry and changed the flow of the game.
ReplyDeleteSorry but don’t say ridiculous things like that. Was too excentric reaction and provoking reaction with crowd. And he was ANGRY because of racism words not for the card, furthermore no problem with the ref.
DeleteI disagree. Vini Jr. is such a wonderful and gifted player - he has no reason at all to behave in such a provocative way.
DeleteYC correct and mandatory.
I disagree, to me he celebration looks like a “pole dance” that has a sexual connotation. Of course, these things can be interpreted many ways, and it is too much to ask a referee to satisfy everybody’s own interpretation.
DeleteThat was a masterclass from François Letexier. The path he is on shows become one of the greatest officials ever to take charge of the game
ReplyDelete+ 1
DeleteLetexier remarkably handled an extremely tricky situation. Honestly impressive, and much more respectable than any technical decision you’ll see tonight. Respect sir.
ReplyDeleteAgreed
DeleteMasterclass.
Delete(Perhaps ball was offside and bad decision by Rahmouni - hidden by Real player ?) but after again strong and superb decision with Yc simulation by Letexier. Always in control. Absolutely fantastic.
ReplyDeleteI do feel a RM player around 15mins before that was very fortunate to not recieve a YC for the same thing. But yes, good YC in that moment for clearly diving forward
DeletePotential RC for Real Madrid, clear punch in the head may need a replay but weird var didn’t delay
ReplyDeleteAgree also saw that
DeleteIn 83. right? At the very, very least a Yc missed by Ref and Ar1.
DeleteYeah would love to have a replay for that
DeleteVideo link
DeleteVideo below in the page
Deletehttps://www.mozzartsport.com/fudbal/vesti/ovo-nije-crveni-video/536444
Red card for Mourinho with « balls » and YC to Mbappé. Braveness and charisma for ref. He is a ROCK !
ReplyDeleteAre you French? :)
DeleteNo i m belgian living in Paris. Try again !
DeleteThis way of commenting is starting to be rather humiliating honestly 🇫🇷
Delete❤️
DeleteNo offense, we are all Letexier-fan, aren’t we. I had to chuckle a bit at your fan spam.
DeleteI m speaking about this match only. ;)
DeleteMourinho very unhappy with no 2YC for Vini Jr, and I think he has a point. Then, after being sent off, has moved to barely behind the techincal area
ReplyDeleteNever a YC card for this soft soft foul. And what should be the message to exclude a player potentially yelled by racism words for that. On the contrary, perfect management by Letexier. Always, always master of play.
DeleteSecond yellow? Come on!
DeleteI mean if Vinicius deserves a RC he should get it even if is a victim tonight
DeleteFor this foul, never.
DeleteFor me letexier is not good referee because you feel he is hasty and angry , the good referee must be calm
ReplyDeleteGuess me : Pinheiro is better ? 😂
DeleteI'd say he has kept cool in heated situations tonight.
Delete+ 1.
DeleteBecause he’s not Portuguese.
DeleteI think Godinho would have been a better choice 😉
DeleteSaying “Letexier is not a good referee” maybe English isn’t your first language. A more accurate way to express it would be that his refereeing style may not suit your preference.
DeleteAt the professional level, referees cannot remain calm or passive at all times. If a referee appears too soft, the atmosphere of the stadium can overwhelm them. Top referees adjust their emotional approach depending on the match, the players and the moment.
Bravo Mr. Letexier. Outstanding.
ReplyDeleteAgree. Outstanding.
DeleteAnd he is only 36…
DeleteIdk what to say about Letexier anymore… what an outstanding referee, excellent at communication. What a great and exemplary performance.
ReplyDeleteThks Nerazzuri for your comment because I am a too Letexier fan to say that ^^ !
DeleteI am a big Turpin fan, love his communication, but Letexier is growing into me.. quite love him..
DeleteSafe to say they are clearly among the best
Agree. For me Letexier better than Turpin ;)
DeleteThey are Different for me, still think Turpin is ahead but both are great and almost at the same level maybe better communication for Turpin
DeleteLetexier is one of the best referees in the world but why Vinicius stay on the game after the foul that he have comited (when Mourinho was sent off)?
ReplyDeleteBecause very very soft one and nothing to argue to put a YC here…
DeleteThat was not a YC.
DeleteA tackle from behind when the player of Benfica was preparing to shoot...No card!! Ok
DeleteThe player was mid-action taking a shot towards goal. I think if a foul, there is a reasonable argument for a YC/SPA
DeleteAbsolutely no tackle here. Perhaps a contact but not very obvious.
DeleteSo are you saying Letexier made an error if there was 'no tackle' on giving a foul? @referee analyst
DeleteI m not sure about this foul. Agree with him with no card decision. Even with replays, some doubts about it. But no problem to whistle it live. But definitively no reason for a card here, especially with disciplinary tactical approach during tjrs match by the ref. Supportable call for the sum up.
DeleteNo, he must have meant to say something else. Letexier doesn’t commit errors!
DeleteStop to be ridiculous please. Thks.
DeleteI’d politely ask you the same
DeleteAnd you have something to say about facts as me of just to give lesson with wind arguments ?
DeleteWas it reckless? No! Lack of respect? No! SPA? Possibly. You don't send a player off for that.
DeleteAgree Eric.
DeleteYou confuse facts and opinions here. But my opinion is that your comments would win credibility if you’d leave the exaggerated defending of Letexier and could also accept (minor) points of criticism.
DeleteWhat point ? No agree with second YC for that for Vinicius. For others, i give my opinion about possible violent conduct near AR 1 in last post. So nobody is perfect but when you see recent history for this match and very very tough incidents with racism words and the way to assess the match, only few referees can be so strong and charismatic. And i can say Letexier wasn’t so high in some french Ligue 1 matches with important errors. Better for you ?
DeleteI think YC could be supported in that situation, but is by no means mandatory. Perfectly fine with no card here. SPA is questionable with another defender challenging from the front at close distance at the same moment.
DeleteReturn prediction:
ReplyDeleteJuve - Gala: Turpin
Real - Benfica: Vincic
French derby: Oliver
I think, the UCL final will go to Oliver or Letexier depending on the teams.
I think uefa must not appoint bad referee like this for another game because he shames uefa
ReplyDeleteIn fact, return legs appointment
DeletePSG-Monaco: Godinho
Atalanta-Dortmund: Nobre
Juve-Galatasaray: Pinheiro
Other ties to Proença, Benquerenca and another one/two
I hope you are not referring to Letexier
DeleteIf he is referring to Letexier than he might as well find a career as a clown, can't believe these bad takes.
DeleteGözübüyük 2H:
ReplyDelete47', 56', 78' - three excellent no penalty calls, I'm sure the committee will be very satisfied with this performance exactly for this reason
48' - mandatory YC 3DOR for SPA holding
51' - handball case, possible SPA
60' - off-the-ball incident, no sanctions
Great performance by Letexier. Calm and collected. Strong towards the benches. Only four YCs on the pitch. A very difficult game. Maybe a yellow for dive by RM back in the first half, but that is a minor detail in this game.
ReplyDelete+ 1
DeleteGood performance by Letexier in a game that was clearly challenging for multiple reasons. Only small mistake was not booking the Madrid left back Alvaro for diving.
ReplyDeleteAnd perhaps foul near AR1 (YC missed IMO but assistant wasn’t on good side and too close perhaps and Letexier more far because of playing near throw-in Line. VAR stuff perhaps but difficult to assess about intensity of foul (no injury for portuguese victim and no high reaction by Benfica team).
DeletePunch in the face from Valverde and nothing??? That was such a clear VC, red card by no means. Crystal clear. And Letexier missed it completely and VAR did nothing! That’s just unbelievable! In Sporting-Porto last weak player got RC for nothing comparing to this Valverde punch. Really outreagous. This became boring decades ago with…you know what and who.
ReplyDeletehttps://www.mozzartsport.com/fudbal/vesti/ovo-nije-crveni-video/536444
DeleteSo with that replay for me it's a big mistake by VAR maybe didn't have the time to tell Letexier to delay but it's a clear and deliberate fist in the head, clear violent conduct so RC imo. The only reason of no call here the short amount of time to restart.
DeleteSporting vs Porto last week saw no RC in that match.
DeleteA question, guys. In the Galatasaray vs. Juventus match, in the 43rd minute, during Juventus' counterattack, Koop was stopped by Bardacki, but Makkelie, if you can see the video, waved the card, pointing to the right side where Davison Sanchez was, telling him to go fuck himself.
ReplyDeleteMy question is, first of all, who was booked (UEFA says Bardacki, but not how reliable he is). Secondly, from what you can see, he booked Davison, in my opinion. Isn't that a mistake? Another question: If he had actually booked Bardacki, shouldn't he have shown him the card?
Thanks
Isn't the UEFA "No Racism" signal the same signal that is supposed to be used for the "Only the Captain" protocol?
ReplyDeleteI can't recall if Uefa started off with anything different, but only the captain is usually pointing at the sleeve where the armband would be, unlike the cross symbol to denote a report of racism
DeleteMissed dive ,Carrerass and possible VCby Valverde.
ReplyDeleteNext week some big name is needed cause in Madrid cause all of focus will be on Vini,Prestianni and racist stuff.
Someone like Vincic or Turpin.
Don't think they gonna put 2 french so Vincic or marciniak if he's able to
DeleteI do think Letexier made a crucial mistake, the whole incident could have been avoided because the yellow card to Vini was IMO rather unnecessary. It looks like his celebration was misinterpreted, of course he was provoking the crowd but after all it was just a dance. When in doubt in these situations I'd rather like no YC and more focus on the actual game by the referee and no punishment for silly celebrations.
ReplyDeleteAfter all the crowd is allowed to insult the player or throw things at him, of course the player should be professional, but cmon, a yellow for a dance?
DeleteI think I understand what you mean. The crowd is allowed to do whatever it wants - they get a free pass to boo, to whistle, to shout things throughout the entire match at Vini (maybe even racist chants). But the moment Vini scores and the crowd has to “take it” because he celebrates in front of them, suddenly the player gets punished. Maybe Letexier should indeed have let that one go. These are emotions.
Well like Mourinho said,it's no coincidence that this thing happens every time RM plays away.
DeleteHe always provokes and has crowd on the edge.
So it's not just the crowd that should be respectful,bu also Vini.
Constant diving,complaints towards ref,iritating crowd is something that that he should fix.
This season even his own fans where whistling him,so he definitely needs to calm down.
So I dont think Letexier made wrong choice when he booked him.
What a sensational display from Letexier. Arguably the single best performance of the last decade. Flawless, sublime, perfect. He thrives in these heated games, excels in controlling the flow of the game and never misses anything. I haven't been able to sleep at all, the images of his incredible gestures and signals have kept me awake. It saddens me that I'll never be even a fraction of the man that Letexier is.
ReplyDeleteJust s thought here... Could we even see Letexier getting all European finals this year? I don't see why UEFA would appoint a lesser referee when the one on course to be the best referee of all time is available. Thoughts?
DeleteIt’s a tricky dilemma for Rosetti. How do you keep a nearly 37-year-old referee motivated? Europa League final first, Champions League later? On the one hand, Letexier is clearly beyond Europa League final level already (looking at the teams in that competition). On the other hand, if I were him, I’d want to add as many finals as possible to my résumé. Tough call. Honestly, I think he’ll get a UCL final straight away, given his level and after that previous EURO final.
DeleteBut the Kassai effect is always lurking. And at the same time, Michael Oliver might arguably deserve a final more, given how long he’s been waiting. Or Makkelie — who was passed over at his peak (2022), ironically for Letexier’s compatriot Turpin, because a Dutch referee in a big final came “too soon” after Kuipers’ EURO final in 2021.
@MQ, I do understand and I agree that in terms of controlling the game and handling the same what we saw yesterday was brilliant.
DeleteBut we cannot ignore, imo at least, 2 major mistakes. There is a clear and obvious RC to Valverde and clear and obvious 2nd YC to Vinicius who denied a SPA. We can never see this a “single best performance of last decade” when 2 major mistakes like this happened.
I was at the stadium (I’m Benfica fan) and he showed to have “balls” because it was not easy to manage an heat atmosphere like that. I think there aren’t too many referees who could keep the game in its pocket like he did. Congrats to him but as I said, speaking strictly about “faults” we cannot ignore those 2 mistakes
I think it's quite simple. For as long as Letexier is active, he should get the biggest finals. He could well go into history with 5-6 CL finals if all things are fair. Even if PSG make the final, he should get it. There is no referee in the world that I am more sure puts all bias aside than Monsieur Letexier.
DeleteThe only contender is Makkelie. These two referees are far and above everyone else, the word "mistake" doesn't exist in their vocabulary. When they are in charge of a game, you know it's going to be excellent. Maybe they could alternate, a CL final every other year?
Letexier is without doubt one of the most talented referees of his generation. He has the presence, the athletic profile and strong management skills that you look for at the highest level. Considering his young age, he has a very bright future ahead of him. At the same time, the road to 45 is a long one and maintaining the same level of performance and meeting expectations year after year is never easy. We have seen how challenging that can be for many top referees. Still, I am convinced that a Champions League final will come his way one day.
DeleteFor this season, however, my money would be on Danny Makkelie. He is having a very solid Champions League campaign and, if I am correct, has had only one OFR so far. Yesterday he once again demonstrated his strengths: calm authority, strong match management, composure and complete control under pressure. At 43, he may also have a slight advantage in terms of his chances of being appointed to the final compared to Michael Oliver at 40. With several English teams still in the knockout phase, the likelihood of an English finalist could also influence the appointment.
I dont know about that praise.
DeleteMissed potential VC from Valverde,not the same criterium in awarding YC for diving,Carreras escaped yc and Prestianni did not.
And in terms of decisions on the field regarding SPA's, penalties and bookable offences,game was not that difficult except these 15 minutes of Vini vs Benfica duel.
Criteria of diving : one for a simply freekick with a tackle and jump by player and other a clear attempt to obtain a PK at 0-1. So I see the difference in my taste. Carreras should also be booked but not mandatory and wasn’t Letexier tactical approach at this moment.
DeleteSay that game wasn’t difficult except 15 mn is completely out of reality. Was from « racism moment » with Vinicius to the end a very very challenging match with past tense moments, hot and hostile atmosphere. So frontally disagree with your statements.
You can disagree,but in terms of difficulty,far more difficult match for Massa who had crunching challenges flying for whole match,penalty decisions and 2 RC's in their 1st match.
DeleteThe only talking point from this match is racist incident,2 dives and 1 VC.
Also,Mourinho's statement where he said Letexier did not want to book 3 RM players.
You are saying that he was exceptional,like we saw Kovacs Barca-Psg performance.
Sorry but i disagree.
@jpl Very nice to reading your post. You declared you are fan of Benfica but your assesment of Letexier's performance was absolutely brilliant. Great control of the match and that difficult situation, brave in some crucial decision, but also mistakes which simply can't be ignored. Missing YC for that diving (Carreras) is simply inexplicable. (This is only appendix to more serious mistakes you mentioned.)
DeleteGenerally, I think this site needs less fans of referees and also less haters. Wouldn't be possible to limit amount of posts not only for article as a whole but also for every single contributor per article?
For those who watched, how were Manzano and Gozubuyuk?
ReplyDeleteGözübüyük with three excellent no-penalty calls in a fair game. The only point of criticism from my side would be the harsh/wrong opening YC. The committee will be very satisfied with his performance in Dortmund.
Deletehttps://streambug.org/cv/1a0188
Delete3x the right decision and good body language when making his decision. Nice to see!
DeleteThe OFR in Monaco-PSG:
Deletehttps://streambug.org/cv/cbb94b
Two Dutch referees in the Round of 16? Who knows… It would be a great achievement, also for KNVB, especially now that the clubs are falling short. Hopefully they can push each other to the highest level, like Kuipers and Makkelie used to do.
DeleteBtw, Makkelie was yesterday spot on with a crucial decision right before the 3–2: foul just outside the box + YC for SPA. His calm manner in that atmosphere was truly exceptional to me.
Very good gestures by Gozubuyuk after all three incidents, one must be honest, something that was missing before in the style of the Dutch referee.
DeleteGil Manzano in Monaco should have seen it by himself, rather frontal view.
Just a little question about a situation in the Monaco-Paris match. In the 69th minute, there was a handball involving Parisian player Marquinhos from a corner kick. I would like to hear your opinion on this situation. Thanks
DeleteHere the clip: https://streambug.org/cv/21083e
DeleteFor me correct decision, arm was not open.
Rather in natural position. He should only have put it behind the back to avoid contact, impossible in that case.
I just want to throw this out there as a discussion point. Is "modern" refereeing becoming almost impossible to referee. Yes in high technical matches where the players play of course it is possible to referee. But with the increasing scrutiny and pressure on all stakeholders with referees being the main focus of harsh criticism, is it simply becoming a case of trying to get through the game with as few flashpoints as possible.
ReplyDeleteI know the top referees have access to sports scientists and psychologists among others but is the impact of top European refereeing going to take its toll and eventually we will see a decline in top top referees as who currently wants to subject themselves to this abuse and vitriol.
I am not saying abscond the refereeing team of any criticism when a mistake happens but teams, fans and broadcasters have a duty to lessen the pressure on referees and stop this nonsense vision of trying to achieve perfection which as teams know is impossible.
Absolutely valid point. But in my opinion, to keep it short, everything really started with the introduction of VAR, which for various reasons was created to satisfy clubs regarding certain types of mistakes. The problem is that this mindset has now gone far beyond: there is a will of total control and perfectionism. On paper, no referee seems free from scrutiny, every contact is analyzed, every possible foul, every ball recovery before a goal. But if we think about what refereeing used to be like years ago, we would be shocked.
DeleteToday, if a referee performs at 100% and does an excellent job but makes a mistake by not calling a possible foul that leads to a decisive goal, and VAR can't intervene, even his career is almost over. Unfortunately, nowadays, and again without making this too long, in many respects the authority and role of the referee on the field are no longer accepted at all.
Add to this the ignorance of those who only see that single decision, assume that everything is based on it, and judge the entire performance as negative.
No way to return back at good times, not even to "normal times". The main problem in my opinion is that people don't understand anything about refereeing, all should have a try before talking, but given their mindset they would insist... I'm sure...
Completely agree
DeleteAgree. But listen, if a referee on performing at 100% with an eccellent job but failing just one foul without possible VAR call sees his career being over, the main problem is the support that referee receives from his Ref Committee, if any: it must agevolate the quality and number of good referees increasing, rather that be worried about possible criticism.
DeleteDid you know that Mark Clattenburg, the former English referee, is being criticized in England for taking a clear side in favor of Prestianni because of the racist act against Vinícius Jr.?
ReplyDeleteIn fairness, I'm not sure that's quite what he said. He was also asked for what the referee would be doing and thinking at the time, before a lot of the facts were known. At no point did he take Prestianni's 'side'
Delete