2025-26 UEFA Women's Europa Cup. Referee assignments for Semifinals, First Legs.
Wednesday 25 March 2026
18:00 CET - Prague (epet Arena)
AC SPARTA PRAHA (CZE) - HAMMARBY IF (SWE)
Assistant Referee 1: Vasilia Tsiklitari GRE
Assistant Referee 2: Zoi Papadopoulou GRE
Fourth Official:
UEFA Referee Observer: Gitte Holm DEN
UEFA Delegate: Patrizia Friese GER
18:30 CET - Frankfurt Am Main (Stadion Am Brentanobad)
EINTRACHT FRANKFURT (GER) - BK HÄCKEN FF (SWE)
Referee: Catarina Campos POR
Assistant Referee 1: Andreia Sousa POR
Assistant Referee 2: Vanessa Gomes POR
Fourth Official: Filipa Pereira Cunha POR
Assistant Referee 2: Vanessa Gomes POR
Fourth Official: Filipa Pereira Cunha POR
UEFA Referee Observer: Nelly Stepanyan ARM
UEFA Delegate: Renata Tomášová SVK
Apologies if this is OT - but difficult to get the timing right...
ReplyDeleteI've been reading this blog for years without ever contributing but have a spare few moments so thought I'd introduce myself and add a few general thoughts on the blog.
Very briefly, my background is that of a FIFA Category 1 equivalent during the 1990s and 2000s in another 11-a-side team sport.
This blog is one of the few places where experienced, hands on referees get to dissect games, critical moments and general performances & styles in a rational way, away from the very blinkered views of the popular media in each country.
I can relate well to the 'political' discussions, the discussions around the personalities and behaviours of persons in positions of power within the international refereeing community and their influences on the game of football in general and individual careers. This insight makes me smile as it appears to me to be the same in most sports’ arbitration at the top level.
One disappointment I have - and it seems to be getting worse lately - is that a small minority of contributors to the blog try to make each discussion black or white, every decision is either right or wrong. I do not know who any of you are but there is an obvious difference between those that fall into the above category and those who offer comments to try to reflect all possible interpretations and how they fit into each scenario and even the much broader demands of refereeing the modern game. Not a criticism as such but I believe that an opinion presented as an "opinion open for discussion" makes a big difference to a blog of this nature.
One last comment... I strongly believe we must not lose sight of the fact that each individual referee has their own management style - which having reached the top level must be something they feel comfortable works for them. Good communication (within the team, with the players and with the spectators) is also important and is supported by a good style of body language. Player acceptance rides on the back of all of this which does not necessarily mean a referee is always technically correct. Difficult I know to get the balance right when under the scrutiny which accompanies top level sport but player acceptance creates confidence and this is important when referees are moving up the ladder.
You may read this last paragraph and be convinced that I am out of touch with the modern VAR world and that the emphasis on rapport was different in my sport but I still maintain that a referee’s personality is as important at the top level as it is at grass roots. That’s my opinion – open for discussion 😉
Great blog. Keep up the good work Chefren and rest assured that most of us seem to understand that some people will not change their critique style by reading balanced discussion alone. At the end of the day you cannot teach experience...
Thank you for your great comment
DeleteThank you very much for your comment! Messages like yours are truly the soul of this blog. Keeping this space alive takes a lot of time, effort, and personal sacrifice, so receiving thoughtful feedback like yours really means a great deal and gives extra motivation to keep going.
DeleteIt is also nice to hear what you said about the many readers who follow the blog quietly. We know that a lot of people read in silence but still appreciate the work, and that silent support is felt even when it is not always visible in the comments.
Your words about refereeing style and the idea that decisions are rarely just black or white are absolutely on point. Unfortunately, the tendency today, not only in refereeing but in many areas, is increasingly polarizing, with opinions pushed to extremes. Personally, I always try to encourage discussions that are constructive and that explore all the possible reasons behind a decision. Even when the response is sometimes limited or not as deep as one would hope to see, the effort remains the same. But today most of people are not prone anymore to complicated analysis, if we look back at the past, that's for me sure after reading the comments in recent times on the blog.
In the end, we keep moving forward, doing our best to offer thoughtful, balanced analysis and to give readers the highest quality discussion possible.
Thank you again for taking the time to write and share your perspective, it is genuinely appreciated.