UEL Final 2012: Stark (GER)

German referee Wolfgang Stark will take charge of Wednesday's UEFA Europa League final between Club Atletico de Madrid and Athletic Club, at the National Arena in Bucharest, Romania.
The 42-year-old Stark has been a German Football Association (DFB) referee since 1994 and took charge of 53 matches in the 2. Bundesliga before stepping up to the top flight in 1997. He has been an international referee since 1999 and has officiated in a total of 89 UEFA matches in his refereeing career. In 1999, he was selected to travel to the FIFA U-17 World Cup in New Zealand and the UEFA European Under-18 Championship in Sweden, also spending a valuable month refereeing in Japan's J-League in September 2001. He took charge of three matches at the 2010 FIFA World Cup finals in South Africa, as well as the 2011 German Cup final.
Stark, who is following in a long line of distinguished German referees, has handled 18 UEFA Europa League matches to date – two of which have come this season, the round of 32 second leg between Manchester City FC and FC Porto (4-0) and the quarter-final first leg between Sporting Clube de Portugal and FC Metalist Kharkiv (2-1). He has also taken charge of 52 UEFA Champions League matches since 2001. With such big-match experience, Stark – who is one of the 12 referees chosen to officiate at this summer's UEFA EURO 2012 finals in Poland and Ukraine – will definitely take the occasion on Wednesday night in his stride, amid the big-crowd atmosphere. "I think every referee at this level can focus on the match, and on the match situations," he told UEFA.com at the UEFA winter referees' course in Antalya earlier this year. "Of course, the atmosphere is part of it, but I think you can turn that off as a referee, so you can concentrate on your main task, which is refereeing the match." Stark also explained the importance of a referee making a good start to a match for confidence and wellbeing. "I think the first minutes are certainly important, not only for the players but also for the referees, to get into the match in the right way," he explained. "I think the first few decisions for the referee set the tone for the match, to get a certain security. If the first decisions are taken well, then you get into the match easily as a referee”.

9 May 2012

Atletico Madrid – Athletic Bilbao
Referee: Wolfgang Stark (GER)
Assistant Referee 1: Jan-Hendrik Salver (GER)
Assistant Referee 2: Mike Pickel (GER)
Additional AR 1: Florian Meyer (GER)
Additional AR 2: Deniz Aytekin (GER)
Fourth Official: Stephane Lannoy (FRA)
Reserve Assistant Referee: Mark Borsch (GER)
Referee Observer: Jaap Uilenberg (NED)

FIFA Referee Clos Gomez got hit by a bottle thrown by a player in Spain

Carlos Clos Gomez, the referee officiating at Granada's dramatic 2-1 home defeat to La Liga champions Real Madrid, appeared to be hit by a plastic bottle thrown by one of the home players amid angry scenes at the final whistle. Granada players surrounded referee Clos Gomez, who showed straight red cards to Guilherme Siqueira and Moises Hurtado before Daniel Benitez threw a bottle at the match official. Benitez, a 25-year-old Spanish midfielder, had been substituted at half-time, but joined in with the hordes of Granada players and officials swarming round the referee to complain about the penalty kick for Real Madrid with nine minutes to go, which Cristiano Ronaldo converted for the equaliser before a late own goal sealed the Los Blancos win.

Clos Gomez reported the incidents as follows: "At the end of the game, while still on the field, Granada player no. 24, Moises Hurtado told me "you are a thief" and I sent him off. I have also sent off Granada player no. 6, Guilherme Siqueira, for telling me "you are a villain". After showing these two red cards, Granada player no. 11, Daniel Benitez, threw at me a bottle of 500 ml. full of fluid, provoking a small swelling on my left cheek, with no need of any medical assistance so far. Once in the tunnel, Granada player no. 6, Guilherme Siqueira, told me "you are a bastard". Also, Granada player no. 22, Alex Geijo, has addressed me with "you destroyed us all season", while Granada player no. 24, Moises Hurtado, once out of his playing uniform, screamed at the match officials "you are all villains".

Source: Marca

Copa Libertadores – Round of 16 (Second Leg)

8 May 2012
Libertad – Cruz Azul

Referee: Leandro Vuaden (BRA, photo)
Assistant Referee 1: Emerson Carvalho (BRA)
Assistant Referee 2: Dibert Pedrosa (BRA)
Fourth Official: Ricardo Marques (BRA)

Velez Sarsfield – Atletico Nacional
Referee: Julio Quintana (PAR)
Assistant Referee 1: Rodney Aquino (PAR)
Assistant Referee 2: Carlos Caceres (PAR)
Fourth Official: Ulises Mereles (PAR)

9 May 2012
Union Espanola – Boca Juniors
Referee: Wilmar Roldan (COL)
Assistant Referee 1: Humberto Clavijo (COL)
Assistant Referee 2: Eduardo Diaz (COL)
Fourth Official: Adrian Velez (COL)

Lanus – Vasco da Gama
Referee: Carlos Amarilla (PAR)
Assistant Referee 1: Dario Gaona (PAR)
Assistant Referee 2: Hugo Martinez (PAR)
Fourth Official: Enrique Caceres (PAR)

Corinthians – Emelec
Referee: Dario Ubriaco (URU)
Assistant Referee 1: Miguel Nievas (URU)
Assistant Referee 2: Marcelo Costa (URU)
Fourth Official: Daniel Fedorczuk (URU)

10 May 2012
Santos – Bolivar
Referee: Martin Vazquez (URU)
Assistant Referee 1: Carlos Pastorino (URU)
Assistant Referee 2: Carlos Changala (URU)
Fourth Official: Hector Martinez (URU)

Universidad de Chile – Deportivo Quito
Referee: Nestor Pitana (ARG)
Assistant Referee 1: Hernan Maidana (ARG)
Assistant Referee 2: Diego Bonfa (ARG)
Fourth Official: Patricio Loustau (ARG)

Fluminense – Internacional
Referee: Wilson Seneme (BRA)
Assistant Referee 1: Carlos Berkenbrock (BRA)
Assistant Referee 2: Marcelo Van Gasse (BRA)
Fourth Official: Evandro Roman (BRA)

Stark: "The public pressure is rising"

Wolfgang Stark (Germany) is one of the 12 referees selected for the upcoming UEFA Euro 2012 and recently answered questions during the official media day for referees in Warsaw, Poland.

- UEFA has imposed a strict ban on interviews for the Euro 2012 match officials. Are you happy about this measure or do you consider it exaggerated?
- It is always a two-edged sword, but I am pleased, as our main occupation is to referee matches. The pressure will be very high. For this reason, it is a good measure for the referees, who will be able to focus on their refereeing.
- Has the pressure become bigger due to the Internet? For example, on Facebook, there are groups aimed at discrediting referees. Do you have a bearing on that?
- Of course, the public pressure is rising. However, concerning Facebook, I have to say that this does not affect me at all, since I do not have a Facebook account. In spite of that, I do certainly know what is said there. The pressure has increased during the last year, but the referees who were selected for Euro have enough experience to cope with that. I have managed that in the past years and I am confident that I will manage that again in Poland/Ukraine.
- For the first time, additional assistant referees will be deployed at a big tournament. Is that the future or more likely the technology favoured by FIFA?
- We have to wait and analyze the things after the Euro. Everybody is very, very well prepared for this tournament. Naturally, mistakes occur, but as soon as there is a good decision made by an additional assistant referee, their inset was justified. I am not responsible for deciding whether it will be continued or not.
- Ukraine, as a state, is heavily criticized. There were voices that urged for a boycott. What is your opinion about the recent discussions?
- Of course, we saw that in the media. But my task is a different one. Let me concentrate on my matches. My main task is to referee decent matches, to show good performances. I want to divide politics and sports in a very clear way. I am serving the sports part at this tournament.
- Do you fear for a lack of safety in Ukraine?
- No. I think everything is done to ensure that we will be safely lodged and that we will travel safely to our matches. At home, something could happen too, no one is invulnerable. But I do not think about a possible lack of safety.
- Due to the age limit, it will be your last European Championship for sure. For whom are you cheering: the German national team or the referee Wolfgang Stark? Only one can get into the final...
- I firstly concentrate on my matches. We have to await the course of events in the tournament. Of course, I keep my fingers crossed for the German team, since as a referee you are a football fan yourself. But it does not automatically mean that, if the German team fails, then the German referee team will get the final.

Source: Reuters

Velasco Carballo: "I am a hardworking referee"

Spanish referee Carlos Velasco Carballo, who attends the UEFA Euro 2012 referees workshop in Warsaw, believes that his appointment is a "reward after 24 years of refereeing” and he defines himself as "a hard worker and an honest person”. In an interview with EFE, Velasco Carballo, also shortlisted for the 2014 FIFA World Cup, acknowledges his satisfaction for having been chosen for Euro 2012, which he hopes to be “an example of sportsmanship and fair play".

- What does being selected for the Euro 2012 mean to you?
- I received the news on 20 December and it was a joy hard to explain. It was the reward for so many years of hard work, training, cold, rain and many games. It is a reward after 24 years of refereeing.
- Did you expect to be in the chosen group?
- Well, honestly, I knew I had potential, but there are only 12 referees attending the finals and many good candidates. I dreamt for sure, but I also knew how difficult it is to be on the final list.
- Do you think it will be harder than anything that you refereed before?
- It is the most significant event in which I will be involved, but the UEFA Champions League semi-final and the UEFA Europa League final, both in 2011, were not easy. Euro 2012 will be followed across Europe and around the world and I am proud to represent my country. The Spanish refereeing is among the best in Europe and the world.
- Do you prefer to referee the final or to see Spain in the final?
- Well, any answer could be politically incorrect or misinterpreted and, with your permission, I would rather not answer this question.
- What will be your preparation for Euro?
- I want to get in the best shape possible in June, taking care not to injure myself too. Now I am adjusting my workouts to fit the end of a long season, with almost a month without competition from the end of the league until the Euro, to reach the beginning of June with batteries recharged at maximum. I also want to watch videos of previous European Championships, speak to Spanish referees who have gone to such great tournaments: Undiano Mallenco, Medina Cantalejo, Mejuto Gonzalez, Diaz Vega or Sanchez Arminio.
- How would you define yourself as a referee?
- I think I have a pretty good physical preparation, a very elaborate knowledge of the rules and above all a big love of football. I follow a lot of football, including teams, players, tactics and strategies. I try to be friendly, but also very strict and inflexible in applying the rules. I try to find a balance between having empathy with players and coaches without losing the principle of authority, which is essential. I like the dialogue, talking to the players and give them a brief explanation at peak times, if that helps reduce stress. I consider myself a "hard worker" of refereeing, to which I currently dedicate my life, body and soul. But above all, I am an honest person.
- Is it more challenging to devote himself only to refereeing?
- This brings many positive things, but also a negative side. Before, the day after each game I would go to work and my mind was free from football. Error and success was diluted with other concerns. Now, my mind is all day thinking about football and refereeing and sometimes it is not good. Especially when things do not go as you wish. To avoid this, last year I signed up for classes. I teach tennis and Rules of the Game at the University two days a week.
- Do you think the referees are the weakest part of football?
- I do not like the word weak. I think we are tremendously strong; otherwise, we could not survive in this 'jungle'. I think the referees are the easy excuse for many defeats. We are the most criticized, but it is something we have well understood.
- Are you in favor of applying the technology?
- Only the technology on the goal line. We need to find a reliable system to determine whether or not the ball crosses the line. The rest I do not see it necessary or useful for anything. Sure, some actions are resolved by the video, but I firmly believe that professional football would be a large minority. Most controversial situations are "gray" and depend entirely on the referee’s eyes. They lose the essence of the sport and would not help, but would generate more and more controversies.
- How do you feel not being able to referee a Real Madrid – Barcelona yet?
- Too much sorrow and resignation. It is something I have been stuck with in my heart, really. I would love to experience and feel the emotions of that match. However, since I started refereeing, I knew that, by living in Madrid, I will not be able to referee Real – Barcelona, but this is a topic passed long time ago.

Source: Que.es

Refereeing agenda for UEFA Euro 2012

UEFA has issued guidelines for UEFA Euro 2012 officials, including protection of players and the game's image, punishment for mobbing referees and for incidents of mass confrontation and reiterated its confidence in the officials' abilities to produce top-class performances in Poland and Ukraine.

On Wednesday, UEFA's chief refereeing officer Pierluigi Collina gave a comprehensive rundown at this week's Euro preparatory workshop in Warsaw of what is expected of the officials when the finals get under way on 8 June. Protection of players and the game's image, and punishment for mobbing the referee, as well as for incidents of mass confrontation, are among the instructions delivered by the UEFA Referees Committee. The 31 games in Poland and Ukraine will each be handled by a referee, two assistant referees and fourth official, supplemented by two additional assistant referees as well as a reserve assistant referee. The additional assistant referees, who stand behind the byline and focus in particular on penalty area incidents, are being deployed as part of a continuing experiment, authorised by the International Football Association Board. "One of the main goals is to protect players, and we have reminded the referees to deal with challenges that could potentially endanger the safety of a player," said Collina. "We don't want to have referees surrounded by protesting players. This does not give a good image, and yellow cards are to be expected. Nor do we want to see 20 players in a mass confrontation – yellow cards will be given to the initiators." Collina explained that the referees selected in December were chosen on the basis of performances in UEFA's major competitions over the past couple of years, as well as on their experience. Twelve quintets – referees, assistant referees and additional assistant referees – have been picked from 12 different countries.
Winter training at UEFA's course in Antalya, Turkey was being followed by a dedicated preparation programme, and UEFA Referees' Committee members and observers have been monitoring the officials' progress in UEFA club competitions this spring. In Warsaw, the match officials have attended 16 hours of lectures on various topics, and took a fitness test at the city's Agrykola Sport Complex. A coaching programme has also been tailor-made for the assistant referees – "Their role is crucial, as their decisions can affect the outcome of a match," Collina explained. "Euro 2012 is the most important competition for UEFA – we have to have all of our match officials ready to give their best possible performance during the competition," the Italian added. "We need athletes, not just referees – being fit is important. We are taking great care of this. The instructions given to the match officials will be exactly the same as those delivered to the players and coaches. I and members of the Referees Committee will visit each national-team camp to speak to coaches and players - we would like referees, coaches and players to be speaking the same language in terms of football, interpretation and the Laws of the Game. We will continue our preparations right until kick-off," Collina added. "Our referees are involved in major domestic and UEFA club competitions. They are at the end of a demanding season. It will be important for them to be ready. I hope what the referees do will be reported. They are dealing with their task very professionally and doing their best to be 100% prepared. UEFA is sure they will do a great job." Confidence is high that the referees will cope admirably with public and media spotlight at the tournament. "The referees are used to refereeing important matches in their countries," said Collina. "They are ready to face any kind of pressure. We have referees who have refereed UEFA Champions League, UEFA Europa League and FIFA World Cup finals. They are here because they deserve to be here".
All referees and assistant referees will meet on 4 June at the Hilton Hotel in Warsaw, where they will be staying during the tournament and will travel by airplane to the different tournament venues in Poland and Ukraine, where the Euro 2012 will be played from 8 June to 1 July.

Source: UEFA

Collina: "Take decisions that are understood and accepted"

The referee teams preparing for UEFA Euro 2012 have been urged to rise to the challenge, show their quality and stay focused at this summer's tournament in Poland and Ukraine. They have been sent into the final phase of preparations for the tournament with the backing to make a memorable contribution at this summer's festival of football in Poland and Ukraine. The referees, assistant referees, additional assistant referees and fourth officials are gathered in Warsaw this week for their Euro preparatory workshop, during which they will receive key instructions from the UEFA Referees Committee and undertake fitness work to fine-tune themselves for the assignments to come.

"Euro 2012 will be a tough challenge," UEFA's chief refereeing officer Pierluigi Collina told the match officials. "It will not only be remembered for the quality of the play, but also for the quality of the refereeing. We need a very high commitment from all of you from now until the end of the competition." Each of the 31 games in Poland and Ukraine will be handled by a full team of seven match officials, with the referee, two assistant referees and the fourth official being supplemented by two additional assistant referees as well as a reserve assistant referee. The additional assistant referees, who stand on the goal line and focus in particular on penalty-area incidents, are being deployed as part of a continuing experiment, authorised by the International Football Association Board (IFAB). "UEFA has selected the 12 best teams of match officials," Collina explained. "You are here because you gave the best performances – so you deserve to be here. Now we need the best from each of you." This viewpoint was echoed by UEFA Referees Committee chairman and UEFA vice-president Angel María Villar Llona in his welcome message. "We have chosen the best of the best, and on behalf of the UEFA President Michel Platini and general secretary Gianni Infantino, I want to wish you the very best of luck for the tournament."
Collina urged the referees to conduct themselves as true teams. "Play as a team, because we can win only if the team wins," he said. "Work as a team if you want to make your team successful." The Italian – who himself enjoyed an officiating career at the top of the game – urged the referees to be reliable, consistent and accurate in their decision-making. "Take decisions that are understood and accepted," he said. He also emphasised that a key to the Euro referees' success in Poland and Ukraine would be proper preparation. "Today in football, nothing happens by chance," he reflected, stressing the need for preparation in technical, physical, match and psychological terms. "Take care of yourselves. We need athletes today and not just referees. Always know what can happen next, predict instead of following, be focused, learn about teams' tactics, look after your image and be mentally ready for this competition. You are our team, and we want to be proud of you and your success," Collina concluded. "You are UEFA's team, and we are ready to support you. If you work hard and trust in yourselves, then everything is possible."
During the course, the Euro referees will be given instructions from the UEFA Referees Committee on areas such as holding in the penalty area, offside, handball, simulation, free-kick management, injury protocol and dissent/mobbing. A media session will also provide an opportunity for UEFA's refereeing tournament guidelines to be explained to the public.

Source: UEFA