2018-2019 UEFA Season Referee Discussion [Rs]

Probably not as tightly, though it depends on the country.

Remember that many of the AARs also work European matches as referees. So if a referee gets a UCL match on Tuesday but his trusty AAR gets appointed to a UEL game on Thursday, he needs a different AAR. Also, when new/younger CRs from big countries get bigger matches, they sometimes get more senior AARs... that happened initially as Taylor and Oliver progressed. And Skomina has served as an AAR once or twice for Jug.

All that said, apparently there is a video clip where the AAR is pointing to the spot with his wand in Manchester. So we may be blaming this AAR for the wrong reason... rather than fail to correct Kassai, he might have been the one who prompted the wrong decision, which is why I framed my post above the way I did.

 

Well, an AAR isn't supposed to point before his CR at all, other than in the case of a goal, so the fact that he didn't point beforehand can't be used as evidence that he did not make the call.

Whether he was confirming the call or visually showing that he was the originator of the call... that would be impossible to say for sure even if I did see it!

 

Kovacs was busy in his debut and had what I think is the first SFP red for a tackle we've seen in a little while in the UCL:

https://streamable.com/2ksi4

 

The League A Nations League assignments seem to be a big signal about the future. They are important enough to need very high-level referees, but I guess also the competition is seen as new or experimental enough to be able to use some referees that are otherwise unproven. This is the next generation of UCL officials and potential EURO 2020 or WC 2022 referees you're looking at.

Cakir will have VAR for the Italy-USA friendly, by the way.

 

Huge match for Hategan who has really turned it around since that one penalty call in Northern Ireland. Renaissance in Romanian officiating currently. You have two referees who look like they could make it to a World Cup.

 

Germany likely need a result to avoid being put in Pot 2 for 2020 qualifying, though. Being relegated as one of the worst teams has a snowball effect that could put EURO qualifying in jeopardy or, at the very least, make it more difficult. So they have something to play for on top of denying their rivals the vital away point needed to win the group.

 

Interesting question as to who goes to the Nations League Finals next year. That's a marquee appointment now, so you have to figure it's the top elite referees in consideration, but possibly with an eye to the future as well? Portugal, England, Netherlands and Switzerland to attend... so maybe something like Turpin, Hategan, Skomina and Cakir? VAR will likely be used for that event, so that's another factor.

Anyway, relative to more pressing matters, MD 5 UCL assignments for Tuesday:

AEK Athens : Ajax - OLIVER (ENG)
Bayern : Benfica - ORSATO (ITA)

1899 Hoffenheim : Shakhtar - KRUZLIAK (SVK)
Olympique Lyon : Manchester City - ROCCHI (ITA)

CSKA : Plzen - MAKKELIE (NED)
Roma : Real Madrid - TURPIN (FRA)

Manchester United : Young Boys - BRYCH (GER)
Juventus : Valencia - COLLUM (SCO)

Given the standings and the EL spot for finishing third place, none of these are meaningless matches, yet none of them stick out--from a progression standpoint--as head and shoulders above the other. Roma-Real is obviously the marquee matchup. Skomina probably yet again started as UCL Final favorite, but I think it's crazy to believe--based on assignments and performance--that Turpin isn't at the top of the list this very moment.

 

First Finnish referee in UCL since 1995 and it’s out of nowhere. Gestranius doesn’t exactly have the sort of track record that makes you think he was due for a debut.

Is that Mazeika’s first game? I know we had a Latvia debut but don’t remember seeing Mazeika—maybe I missed it.

Hategan just keeps on going. Obviously big matches for Marciniak and Cakir, but Turpin and Hategan seem to be the two who are really impressing this season.