UEFA CL Final referee prediction

[code1390]

I decided to start a new topic. Lets see your predictions for who will do the final.

I'll guess it will probably be one of the 14 pre-selected World Cup referees + Conrad Plautz (he will be 46 in 2010). After the name is the knockout stage games they did this year.

Ivan Bebek (CRO) - UEFA Cup R16
Olegario Benquerenca (POR) - R16, UEFA Cup QF, UEFA Cup SF
Massimo Busacca (SUI) - R16, QF
Frank De Bleeckere (BEL) - R16, UEFA Cup QF, UEFA Cup SF
Thomas Einwaller (AUT) - UEFA Cup R32
Grzegorz Gillewski (POL) - None
Martin Hansson (SWE) - UEFA Cup QF
Viktor Kassai (HUN) - UEFA Cup R16
Stephane Lannoy (FRA) - UEFA Cup R16
Tom Ovrebo (NOR) - R16, QF, SF
Roberto Rosetti (ITA) - R16, QF, SF
Wolfgang Stark (GER) - 2 R16, QF, SF
Alberto Undiano (ESP) - R16 (not eligible)
Howard Webb (ENG) - R16, QF, UEFA Cup SF (not eligible)
Konrad Plautz (AUT) - R16, QF, UEFA Cup SF

Another name not on the WC list is Claus Bo Larsen, but he did a semi and most likely won't do the final.

So you have the info, who do you think will do the final?

[falcon.7]

My gut instinct was either Busacca or Plautz, but they did Manchester United's quarterfinal tie, so now I'm leaning towards de Bleeckere. With only the Round of 16 match he's been shielded from potentially encountering the same team twice. Everyone else on that list is either too inexperienced, ineligible, or they did a semi.

[Alberto]

Massimo Busacca.

[refmedic]

I think it's pretty solid to go with de Bleeckere. He is one of the top referees in UEFA and one of the referees discussed to be in the running for the WC final. We also haven't seen him in the last couple of rounds. It would be a good way to set him up for the WC final to put him in this match. After Ovrebo's performance, I think they need a good showing from the referee crew. I Think Rossetti did a fine job, and as a MU supporter, I still think that Fletcher's red card was a good call, but since SAF is bitching, and Ovrebo had his dismal showing, the world will be watching for a good showing on the referee front.

[Spaceball]

I'm going off the board with newcomer to the referee forum, Teso Dos Bichos for the CL Final. Based on his superior understanding of the "rules" of the game he has shown in the Fletcher thread while arguing with Bluedevils, it is clear only his opinion matters, so there is no option but for UEFA to immediately grant him a white badge and offer him this assignment. While the rest of us follow what is written in the LOTG by interpreting situations with our opinion, he does not bother with petty opinion as he claims there can be no opinion, only right or wrong. And since what he states is always right despite the many experienced referees who seem to disagree, it is clear to me that he is the obvious choice. So, there you have it...we can now close the thread...

...Or carry on with your opinions. For me, I would like to see Busacca, but I think it will go to de Bleeckere whom I also like to watch.

[bluedevils]

LOL!

I would prefer to see Busacca or De Bleeckere. I'm not a big Plaus fan.

[MassachusettsRef]

I'll register my prediction here. As I said on another thread, I think Busacca, De Bleeckere and Plautz are the only options--and that's rare... usually we're throwing around 7-8 names here. I will also say, though it doesn't apply this year, that limiting the pool to the WC pre-selected is erroneous... Terje Hauge did the UCL Final in a year where he didn't go to the WC. The pool for this game is actually the UEFA Elite Group--which contains several referees that are not WC pre-selected (and, similarly, several WC pre-selects you list are not in the Elite Group and therefore inleigible for this match). In other words, UEFA and FIFA don't always see eye-to-eye on European referees.

Anyway, I'll go out on a limb and say Plautz. He sort of came out of nowhere in 2006 or so and UEFA seems to love him. I would suspect they will try to get him the UCL Final and this is his only chance. De Bleeckere and Busacca have several more chances each (and, barring injury, both WILL get the game).

I'd actually prefer De Bleeckere. He'll never have the profile to get it, as I think Rossetti is competing for it now, but I honestly think he has a decent claim on the title of "World's Best Referee" at the moment. With Shield and Michel out of the picture, I actually think he's in the select group for the WC Final in South Africa. And I think he has a chance at this UCL match if UEFA decide they need the "safest" hands rather due to the high-profile clubs, rather than just the guy who's "turn" it is (Plautz).

I could be wrong and it could be Busacca. I could also be REALLY wrong and Wolfgang Stark might somehow be in the picture because UEFA seemingly wants him to do every other game in Europe. But I suspect it's one of the three I listed. I want De Bleeckere. I expect Plautz.

[MassachusettsRef]

As another reference point, here's the UEFA Elite pool for 2008-2009:

PLAUTZ (AUT)
DE BLEECKERE (BEL)
LARSEN (DEN)
RILEY (ENG)
WEBB (ENG)
DUHAMEL (FRA)
LAYEC (FRA)
FANDEL (GER)
MEYER (GER)
STARK (GER)
VASSARAS (GRE)
KASSAI (HUN)
ROSETTI (ITA)
TREFOLONI (ITA)
HAMER (LUX)
BRAAMHAAR (NED)
VINK (NED)
HAUGE (NOR)
OVREBO (NOR)
BENQUERENCA (POR)
BASKAKOV (RUS)
MEDINA CANTALEJO (ESP)
MEJUTO GONZALEZ (ESP)
UNDIA MALLENCO (ESP)
HANSSON (SWE)
BUSACCA (ESP)

Looking at the list again, I suppose one might be able to add Hansson as a darkhorse candidate. I don't think either the French or Dutch are anywhere on the radar. Everyone else is either injured, used very recently, way too new/young, not even their country's top guy (Meyer, Trefoloni), ineligible due to being English or Spanish, or Alain Hamer (sorry--a guy from Luxembourg isn't getting this game).

I'll stick with Plautz, and we'll see enough soon.

As a side note, apparently Medina Cantalejo has been appointed to the UEFA Cup Final. No real surprise there, as he likely would have been a favorite for the UCL game if Barcelona hadn't qualified.

[code1390]

As a side note, apparently Medina Cantalejo has been appointed to the UEFA Cup Final. No real surprise there, as he likely would have been a favorite for the UCL game if Barcelona hadn't qualified.

Maybe good news for Plautz? I think they are both 45.

[MassachusettsRef]

Maybe good news for Plautz? I think they are both 45.I've seen some claim elsewhere that a UEFA Cup SF appointment takes a referee out of the running for the UCL Final. I've never thought that to be true, and it's hard to confirm historically. But, if it is...

Busacca is really the only candidate, with Hansson being a significant outsider.

I'll stubbornly stick with Plautz, but Busacca will be far from a shock and is probably the favorite on paper.

[Englishref]

I've always thought it would be Busacca, and I'm going to stick with that. The fact he's been kept out of the limelight by not getting a SF in either the UC or UCL bodes well for him, and he's had a pretty faultless UEFA campaign.

I'm not a big FdB fan tbh, but he's a definite candidate, as UEFA love him.

I have heard worrying rumours though that Wolfgang Stark has it, which would be incredible given he had a QF and SF, and made a complete hash of refereeing the Arsenal vs Porto quarter.

[MassachusettsRef]

I saw the same worrying rumor about Stark. I don't believe it, for the reasons you stated. And I just hope it's wrong. But I did send out this warning shot awhile ago...

I could also be REALLY wrong and Wolfgang Stark might somehow be in the picture because UEFA seemingly wants him to do every other game in Europe. It would break all sorts of traditions for him to get this match. But, then again, FIFA and UEFA have been in the habit of breaking refereeing traditions recently.

[Pierre Head]

Look at the composition of the UEFA (and FIFA) referees' committees.

That will predict who does the final matches more than anything else.

Are there any prominent and powerful members? They will push
for their own guy. It's happened many times before!

[Englishref]

Look at the composition of the UEFA (and FIFA) referees' committees.

That will predict who does the final matches more than anything else.

Are there any prominent and powerful members? They will push
for their own guy. It's happened many times before!

Not necessarily. Lubos Michel did it last year, and I doubt there's an influential Slovakian on the referees committee!! Politics only plays a part to a certain extent. As we've shown, you can pretty much narrow it down to a few possibles, so it's not a case of the referees committee just picking their favourite necessarily.

[falcon.7]

Not necessarily. Lubos Michel did it last year, and I doubt there's an influential Slovakian on the referees committee!! Politics only plays a part to a certain extent. As we've shown, you can pretty much narrow it down to a few possibles, so it's not a case of the referees committee just picking their favourite necessarily.

http://www.uefa.com/newsfiles/321926.pdf

Mr. Jozef Marko, of Slovakia, is one of the vice-chairmen. Chairman is Volker Roth (ex-FIFA), which if we go by Pierre's theory is the reason for Scary Stark getting matches. There's also a Spaniard (LMC for UCup Final).

Personally, I think it's based on age, experience, and rating. Cantalejo is 45 and has been consistently been a high performer in Europe. He does his job quietly and efficiently without much fanfare. One of my all-time favs. There was a Spanish team in the semis, so he gets the Cup final. Michel was rated very highly not only in Europe but in world rankings/polls for many years, helped by getting his FIFA badge at age 25.

Although I suppose Stark does buck that trend. He's been getting important games galore the last few years and has managed to make a mess of half of them. I don't know why Felix Brych doesn't get more games. I saw him do some international friendly (maybe ARG-FRA) and he managed these two hard-charging teams superbly.

[MassachusettsRef]

http://www.uefa.com/newsfiles/321926.pdf

Mr. Jozef Marko, of Slovakia, is one of the vice-chairmen. Chairman is Volker Roth (ex-FIFA), which if we go by Pierre's theory is the reason for Scary Stark getting matches. There's also a Spaniard (LMC for UCup Final).Just as an observation, since the FIFA committee is discussed in another thread: every single member of that committee is a retired FIFA referee.

Pierre's Head is right to note that the makeup of the Referees Committee matters--but I don't think things are quite so blatantly politically/corrupt as they once were--at least within UEFA and at the FIFA level (CONCACAF is a different story). To start, you see the shift, like with this UEFA committee, to former referees as members. Not only that, but there are some good recent examples where perceived influence didn't matter one bit: Mejuto Gonzalez being left home from WC06 when the Chairman of the FIFA Referees Committee was a Spaniard is probably the prime example. Influence is still peddled to be sure, but it seems like merit has been going a lot further in recent years (say, since about the latter rounds of WC 2002).

[soccerman8067]

Busacca gets the nod. i look forward to watching.

[Pierre Head]

Just as an observation, since the FIFA committee is discussed in another thread: every single member of that committee is a retired FIFA referee.

Err.. you mean like Ted Howard???

Pierre's Head is right to note that the makeup of the Referees Committee matters--but I don't think things are quite so blatantly politically/corrupt as they once were--at least within UEFA and at the FIFA level (CONCACAF is a different story). To start, you see the shift, like with this UEFA committee, to former referees as members. Not only that, but there are some good recent examples where perceived influence didn't matter one bit: Mejuto Gonzalez being left home from WC06 when the Chairman of the FIFA Referees Committee was a Spaniard is probably the prime example. Influence is still peddled to be sure, but it seems like merit has been going a lot further in recent years (say, since about the latter rounds of WC 2002).

I don't disagree with this in principle, and I hope you are right
about the shift in the influence problem. But the human factor will
always be there.

BTW please note my name. I am not Pierre's Head!

[MassachusettsRef]

Err.. you mean like Ted Howard???"That" was referring to the UEFA Committee which was quoted immediately above. I admit the sentence is somewhat ambiguous if taken out of context, but I thought it was pretty obvious to which committee I was referring.

[MassachusettsRef]

Busacca gets the nod. i look forward to watching.Good for him--honestly glad I was wrong about Plautz, as I prefer Busacca. I do hold out hope that De Bleeckere gets the final soon, too.

Saw an interesting note the other day that Busacca was the 4th for the UCL Final when Urs Meier had it. I'm wondering how select the group of officials is that have been on this match twice. Since the early 90s, you'd have to be a 4th and then a referee several years later. Can't think of any examples that fit, though I haven't been able to find out if Stefano Braschi was Collina's 4th in 1999, as that would be one. Also, Wolfgang Stark has been the 4th and seems certain to get the match at some point, so he seems destined to join Busacca.

Prior the 90s, I imagine it was possible to be a linesman one year and then get the whistle later (or vice versa), especially when the crews weren't all from the same country. The historical data for officials other than the referee does not seem to be readily available online, though.