UEFA Youth League Final 2019: Letexier (FRA)

Semi-finals (26 April 2019)

FC Barcelona – Chelsea
Referee: Sandro Schärer (SUI)
Assistant Referee 1: Stéphane Almeida (SUI)
Assistant Referee 2: Bekim Zogaj (SUI)
Fourth Official: Lionel Tschudi (SUI)
Referee Observer: Roberto Rosetti (ITA)

TSG Hoffenheim – FC Porto
Referee: Irfan Peljto (BIH)
Assistant Referee 1: Senad Ibrišimbegović (BIH)
Assistant Referee 2: Davor Beljo (BIH)
Fourth Official: Admir Šehović (BIH)
Referee Observer: Marc Batta (FRA)

Final (29 April 2019)

Hoffenheim/Porto – Barcelona/Chelsea
Referee: François Letexier (FRA, photo)
Assistant Referee 1: Cyril Mugnier (FRA)
Assistant Referee 2: Mehdi Rahmouni (FRA)
Fourth Official: Jérôme Brisard (FRA)

Frappart set to become first female referee in Ligue 1

Stephanie Frappart will become the first woman to referee a French Ligue 1 match when Amiens host Strasbourg on 28 April 2019, said the French Football Federation (FFF). The 35-year-old Frappart, the only referee from France who will be officiating at the Women’s World Cup this summer, was also the first woman to officiate a Ligue 2 match in 2014 and has overseen 13 matches in the men’s second tier this season, as well as one French Cup tie. She took charge of a semi-final in the 2017 Women’s European Championship.

"Stephanie Frappart, selected by FIFA for the Women’s World Cup in France, has been appointed by the French Refereeing Direction for the Ligue 1 match between Amiens SC and RC Strasbourg". FIFA has invited the federations with a chosen referee for the 2019 Women's World Cup to prepare them under the best conditions for this high level competition. Their preparation, technical, athletic, will also be focused on the use of video assistance, which will be in function at this World Cup. Clement Turpin, selected by FIFA as VAR for this competition, will assist Stephanie Frappart on this Ligue 1 match”, said FFF.

Frappart is not the first woman to officiate a top-flight men’s game in Europe’s top leagues. Germany’s Bibiana Steinhaus became the first woman to officiate a Bundesliga match in 2017, when Hertha Berlin drew 1-1 with Werder Bremen, but no woman has refereed a top-tier match in England, Spain or Italy.

Source: Reuters

UEFA Futsal Champions League Finals 2019

Almaty, 26-28 April 2019

Referees
1. Marc Birkett (ENG, photo)
2. Kamil Çetin (TUR)
3. Angelo Galante (ITA)
4. Nikola Jelić (CRO)
5. Alessandro Malfer (ITA)
6. Saša Tomić (CRO)

Concacaf Beach Soccer Championship 2019

Mexico, 13-19 May 2019

Referees
1. Warner Porras (CRC)
2. Luis Torres (CRC)
3. Erlis Bermudez (CUB)
4. Arian Perez (CUB)
5. Alexander Rafoso (CUB)
6. Juan Angeles (DOM, photo)
7. Robert Gomez (DOM)
8. Juan Estrada (GUA)
9. Miguel Lopez (GUA)
10. Miguel Aguilar (MEX)
11. Mario Nava (MEX)
12. Jair Robles (MEX)
13. Gumercindo Batista (PAN)
14. Arquel Carrasco (PAN)
15. Jorge Tunon (PAN)
16. Gonzalo Carballo (SLV)
17. David Cruz (SLV)
18. Julio Ramos (SLV)

Concacaf Champions League Final (First Leg)

23 April 2019

Tigres UANL – Monterrey CF
Referee: John Pitti (PAN, photo)
Assistant Referee 1: Christian Ramirez (HON)
Assistant Referee 2: Alejandro Camarena (PAN)
Fourth Official: Hector Martinez (HON)

UEFA Women’s Champions League – Semi-finals (First Leg)

21 April 2019

Olympique Lyonnais – Chelsea FCW
Referee: Katalin Kulcsar (HUN, photo)
Assistant Referee 1: Katalin Török (HUN)
Assistant Referee 2: Katrin Rafalski (GER)
Fourth Official: Riem Hussein (GER)
Referee Observer: Snježana Fočić (CRO)

Bayern München – FC Barcelona
Referee: Jana Adamkova (CZE)
Assistant Referee 1: Lucie Ratajova (CZE)
Assistant Referee 2: Chrysoula Kourompylia (GRE)
Fourth Official: Ivana Martinčić (CRO)
Referee Observer: Caroline De Boeck (BEL)

UEFA VAR training in full swing

UEFA is continuing its intensive training courses for video assistant referees (VAR). Another group of European match officials has undertaken three days of work in Nyon – with UEFA aiming to have more VARs ready for assignments by this summer. The course, the latest in a series that began last autumn, featured 22 FIFA first and second category referees – two each from countries where the VAR system is already in operation. They were given expert guidance, and offered worthwhile feedback themselves, in theoretical and practical sessions led by UEFA Referees Committee chairman Roberto Rosetti, deputy chairman Hugh Dallas and UEFA refereeing officers Vlado Sajn and Marc Batta. 

The VAR system, incorporated into the Laws of the Game last year, sees a video assistant referee review decisions made by the referee in certain key match situations with the use of video footage and a headset for communication. The system was introduced by UEFA for the start of the UEFA Champions League knockout phase in February. A VAR team – a video assistant referee, an assistant video assistant referee and two video operators – has been located at each stadium to support the referee and help the match official take correct decisions. The team constantly checks for clear and obvious errors related to the following four match-changing situations: goals, penalty decisions, direct red card incidents and mistaken identity. 

In addition to the UEFA Champions League, VAR will be deployed at next month’s UEFA Europa League final in Baku, the UEFA Nations League Finals in Portugal in June, and the UEFA European Under-21 Championship final tournament in Italy in the same month. It will then be deployed at the 2019 UEFA Super Cup, and UEFA plans to subsequently extend the use of VAR to the UEFA EURO 2020 final tournament, as well as in the 2020/21 UEFA Europa League from the group stage onwards. “The real goal of the course,” said Rosetti, “has been to increase the number of VARs available for UEFA competitions. This season, we started with the UEFA Champions League knockout phase – but next season, for example, we will start from the Champions League playoff stage and continue through the group stage and knockout phase. So we would certainly require a larger number of VARs.” 

The Nyon course has given UEFA an ideal opportunity to test VARs in view of the forthcoming UEFA European Under-21 Championship finals. “The referees here for this course are all FIFA referees,” Rosetti explained. “We are in constant contact with VAR project leaders in countries where the system is in place, and they recommend the best VARs in their countries. For us, the under-21 finals are very important,” Rosetti added. “We will use nine selected referees who are already in our VAR project, and we will also use a pool of VARs from countries where the project is also in operation. The best VARs from this course will be appointed immediately for our tournament.” Rosetti emphasised that the VAR system was providing crucial help to referees in their decision-making. “We are trying to do our best for football,” he said, “by preventing clear and obvious [refereeing] mistakes.” 

Source: UEFA

CAF referees pre-selected for Africa Cup of Nations 2019

CAF selected 27 referees and 29 assistant referees for a preparatory course scheduled for 28 April to 5 May 2019 in Rabat, Morocco, as part of the build-up to the Africa Cup of Nations Egypt 2019. The selected match officials, representing 33 Member Associations, will take part in the intensive eight-day training camp, to decide on the match officials for the final tournament scheduled for 21 June to 19 July in the Egyptian cities of Alexandria, Cairo, Ismailia and Suez. Whilst in Rabat, the officials will undergo medical and physical test besides theoretical and practical sessions under the supervision of experienced CAF Instructors. Also to be discussed are the amendments to the Laws of the Game, which takes effect 1 Jun 2019, and will be implemented during the tournament. A blend of youth and experience, Egypt and Tunisia have the biggest number of representatives – five (5), consisting of three referees and two assistant referees. (Source: CAF)

Referees

1. Mustapha Ghorbal (ALG) 

2. Helder Martins (ANG)

3. Joshua Bondo (BOT)

4. Pacifique Ndabihawenimana (BDI)

5. Alioum Alioum (CMR)

6. Ghead Grisha (EGY, photo)

7. Amin Omar (EGY)

8. Mahmoud Zakaria (EGY)

9. Bamlak Tessema (ETH)

10. Eric Otogo Castane (GAB)

11. Bakary Gassama (GAM)

12. Daniel Laryea (GHA)

13. Peter Waweru (KEN)

14. Mahamadou Keita (MLI)

15. Redouane Jiyed (MAR)

16. Noureddine El-Jaafari (MAR)

17. Jackson Pavaza (NAM)

18. Jean Ngambo (COD)

19. Louis Hakizimana (RWA)

20. Maguette N’Diaye (SEN)

21. Bernard Camille (SEY)

22. El-Fadil Mohamed (SDN)

23. Victor Gomes (RSA)

24. Sadok Selmi (TUN)

25. Youssef Essrayri (TUN)

26. Haithem Guirat (TUN)

27. Janny Sikazwe (ZAM)

Assistant Referees

1. Mokrane Gourari (ALG)

2. Abdelhak Etchiali (ALG)

3. Jerson Dos Santos (ANG)

4. Seydou Tiama (BFA)

5. Elvis Noupue (CMR)

6. Evarist Menkouande (CMR)

7. Issa Yaya (CHA)

8. Soulaimane Almadine (COM)

9. Tahssen Abo El Sadat (EGY)

10. Mahmoud Ahmed (EGY)

11. Berhe Tesfagiorghis (ERI)

12. Samuel Temesgin (ETH)

13. Sidibe Sidiki (GUI)

14. Gilbert Cheruiyot (KEN)

15. Souru Phatsoane (LES)

16. Attia Amsaaed (LBY)

17. Lionel Andrianantenaina (MAD)

18. Azgaou Lahcen (MAR)

19. Arsenio Marengula (MOZ)

20. Mahamadou Yahaya (NIG)

21. Baba Adel (NGA)

22. Oliver Safari (COD)

23. El Hadji Samba (SEN)

24. Djibril Camara (SEN)

25. Zakhele Siwela (RSA)

26. Mohammed Ibrahim (SDN)

27. Waleed Ahmed (SDN)

28. Yamen Mellouchi (TUN)

29. Anouar Hmila (TUN)

UEFA Europa League – Quarter-finals (Second Leg)

18 April 2019

SSC Napoli – Arsenal FC
Referee: Ovidiu Hațegan (ROU, photo)
Assistant Referee 1: Octavian Șovre (ROU)
Assistant Referee 2: Sebastian Gheorghe (ROU)
Fourth Official: Radu Ghinguleac (ROU)
Additional AR 1: Radu Petrescu (ROU)
Additional AR 2: Sebastian Colțescu (ROU)
Referee Observer: Markus Nobs (SUI)

Valencia – Villarreal
Referee: William Collum (SCO)
Assistant Referee 1: David McGeachie (SCO)
Assistant Referee 2: Francis Connor (SCO)
Fourth Official: Graeme Stewart (SCO)
Additional AR 1: Robert Madden (SCO)
Additional AR 2: Nicolas Walsh (SCO)
Referee Observer: Vítor Melo Pereira (POR)

Eintracht Frankfurt – SL Benfica
Referee: Daniele Orsato (ITA)
Assistant Referee 1: Lorenzo Manganelli (ITA)
Assistant Referee 2: Alessandro Costanzo (ITA)
Fourth Official: Fabiano Preti (ITA)
Additional AR 1: Marco Di Bello (ITA)
Additional AR 2: Daniele Doveri (ITA)
Referee Observer: Hans Reijgwart (NED)

Chelsea FC – Slavia Praha
Referee: Damir Skomina (SVN)
Assistant Referee 1: Jure Praprotnik (SVN)
Assistant Referee 2: Robert Vukan (SVN)
Fourth Official: Tomaž Klančnik (SVN)
Additional AR 1: Slavko Vinčič (SVN)
Additional AR 2: Matej Jug (SVN)
Referee Observer: Manuel Díaz Vega (ESP)

UEFA Champions League – Quarter-finals (Second Leg)

16-17 April 2019

FC Barcelona – Manchester United
Referee: Felix Brych (GER, photo)
Assistant Referee 1: Mark Borsch (GER)
Assistant Referee 2: Stefan Lupp (GER)
Fourth Official: Pavel Královec (CZE)
VAR: Bastian Dankert (GER)
AVAR: Marco Fritz (GER)
Referee Observer: Patrick Kelly (IRL)

Juventus – AFC Ajax
Referee: Clement Turpin (FRA)
Assistant Referee 1: Nicolas Danos (FRA)
Assistant Referee 2: Cyril Gringore (FRA)
Fourth Official: Benoît Bastien (FRA)
VAR: Nicolas Rainville (FRA)
AVAR: François Letexier (FRA)
Referee Observer: Nikolai Levnikov (RUS)

Manchester City – Tottenham Hotspur
Referee: Cüneyt Çakır (TUR)
Assistant Referee 1: Bahattin Duran (TUR)
Assistant Referee 2: Tarık Ongun (TUR)
Fourth Official: Artur Soares Dias (POR)
VAR: Massimiliano Irrati (ITA)
AVAR: Marco Guida (ITA)
Referee Observer: Domenico Messina (ITA)

FC Porto – Liverpool
Referee: Danny Makkelie (NED)
Assistant Referee 1: Mario Diks (NED)
Assistant Referee 2: Hessel Steegstra (NED)
Fourth Official: Anastasios Sidiropoulos (GRE)
VAR: Pol van Boekel (NED)
AVAR: Jochem Kamphuis (NED)
Referee Observer: Alain Hamer (LUX)