2019-2020 UEFA Referee Discussion [Rs]

I also thought this. Part of me thinks, though, that close to goal Rocchi might be more focused on the attacking opportunity than immediately processing that Blind is already on a yellow. Doing that brainwork and then asking yourself the advantage question takes a split second... and, at that point, Chelsea is already in a shooting position.

 

Yes.

I would also say that his red card for SFP was great. He recognized what just happened a few minutes earlier, saw the rash challenge, realized the match situation and likely took into account the position of the tackle on the field (we always used to be taught about challenges near the benches) and went red.

On replay, I am sure some can make the argument that it's only yellow. I've already seen that argument elsewhere. But referees aren't supposed to be robots. That was a red card challenge in that situation and good on Skomina for doing what was necessary (and for the VAR for not intervening).

 

Watching this again in detail, the frighteningly amazing thing is that he seems to actually get the four guys who deserve it, too.

The keeper and #9 on Atletico clearly deserve it. So does #4 from Bayer. It's hard to tell if it's #11 or #38 from Bayer that is the one who pulled down #9 of Atletico in the middle of the melee, but if it was #38 then Skomina and his AR are 100% accurate on a 20-person mass-con that had four yellow cards (and even if it wasn't #38, he still took a very aggressive posture to an opponent right prior to that). That is incredibly impressive.

Worth noting Skomina did have the luxury of only having/knowing one person in the match was on a caution--and he didn't do anything close to misconduct. If this occurs with 4-5 people on yellows already, it adds a layer to the challenge.

 

I find this clip hilarious. The Lille captain seems to know the Law on handling just well enough to not know that his arm above his head on a slide tackle gets punished even if it deflects off his body first. And then he also seems to think that the fourth official is the VAR.

https://streamable.com/l0pev

 

These were almost certainly made before the UCL matches.

 

Maybe I misread this. Because of the controversy at Chelsea? Or because the match isn’t high profile?

If the former, see my post above. If the latter, strongly disagree. It’s a huge match for qualification purposes. One of the biggest this matchday.

 

Some more interesting assignments for Friday's matches...

Norway : Faroe Islands - JOVIC (CRO)
Armenia : Greece - RACZKOWSKI (POL)
Finland : Liechtenstein - BASTIEN (FRA)
Denmark : Gibraltar - VAD (HUN)
Switzerland : Georgia - MAKKELIE (NED)
Romania : Sweden - ORSATO (ITA)
Spain : Malta - KASSAI (HUN)
Bosnia-Herzegovina : Italy - SCHARER (SUI)

Hard to find too much rhyme or reason here. On the one hand, there are some pretty big names on what theoretically should be lopsided matches--it's not every day you see an Elite referee on a Liechtenstein away match, for example. It looks like UEFA wants to be extra sure on matches where teams are still battling for qualification (and, with the case of Finland, a historic qualification). So that would account for Bastien, Makkelie and even Vad.

Spain-Malta is somewhat baffling. A UCL Final referee on a completely meaningless match. Then again, Kassai has been gone from national team matches for awhile, so maybe a way to lightly ease him back in?

Orsato with the objective big one for Friday.

 

I guess we just have a different perspective. You view "nice gifts" as a big stadium or a pleasant geographical locale? I think being trusted for the big match right up until retirement is a better gift.

Short of Ireland-Denmark on the last matchday (and Romania-Sweden, which Orsato got) this probably is the most consequential qualifier left that has direct qualification ramifications for both teams. I think a referee like Rocchi would relish that challenge in what will probably be his penultimate competitive international match. Personally, I'd take that over, say, the Spain-Malta game.

It will be interesting to see what kind of send off he gets in the UCL. Normally I'd expect it to be relaxed, but in a big stadium. There aren't a lot of good options, though. He can't be in a group with an Italian team. He won't go to Chelsea or Ajax. So Groups A, B and G are the only options. Real v PSG would be a nice final match, though that's on MD 5. If it's MD 6, I bet he ends with Bayern v Spurs because everything in Group G is going to be complicated.

 

Saturday...

Cyprus : Scotland - LECHNER (AUT)
Croatia : Slovakia - TURPIN (FRA)
Azerbaijan : Wales - AYTEKIN (GER)
Slovenia : Latvia - PETRESCU (ROU)
Russia : Belgium - SOARES DIAS (POR)
San Marino : Kazakhstan - PALABIYIK (TUR)
Germany : Belarus - GRINFELD (ISR)
Northern Ireland : Netherlands - MARCINIAK (POL)
Austria : North Macedonia - OLIVER (ENG)
Israel : Poland - GESTRANIUS (FIN)

Two things stand out to me.

First, Palabiyik did a UCL match a few weeks ago. UCL referees don't go to San Marino for nothing matches. This lends credence to the rumor that Palabiyik was a replacement for Cakir, who was punished for his performance in Chelsea and in his last qualifier OR had a mystery injury no one knew about. Will be interesting to see where Cakir lands for the final matchday.

The second thing is Oliver's match, but it's nothing you see here. Instead, it's that Rizzoli is his observer. I've got to think that's deliberate by Rosetti. This match seems like a crucial test (one of the last two or three) for Oliver's EURO chances.

 

Allegedly.

But this would be the primary reason, from what I understand: https://streamable.com/wz20x

He then also missed what was reported as a clear SFP card in the Slovenia-Austria match, as well. It's what is referenced at the below link (you'll need to translate), but the video has been pulled:

https://mozzartsport.com/fudbal/ves...i-cakiru-ovo-nije-za-iskljucenje-video/339734