by Martin Rødvand on February 22, 2010
24/02/10
CSKA Moskva – Sevilla
Referee: Felix Brych (GER)
Assistant referees: Thorsten Schiffner, Mark Borsch
Fourth official: Manuel Gräfe
UEFA delegate: Roland Tis (BEL)
UEFA Referee observer: Kaj Østergaard (DEN)
Internazionale – Chelsea
Referee: Manuel Mejuto Gonzalez (ESP)
Assistant referees: Jesús Calvo Guadamuro, Juan Carlos Yuste Jimenez
Fourth official: David Fernández Borbalán
UEFA Delegate: Teuvo Holopainen (FIN)
UEFA Referee observer: Francesco Bianchi (SUI)
The second leg will be played Tuesday March 16.
by Martin Rødvand on August 28, 2009
UEFA has announced that Eduardo will be facing a disciplinary charge after Wednesday’s incident in the match against Celtic on Emirates stadium. Eduardo was awarded a penalty after being fouled by the Celtic goalkeeper Boruc. Video replays suggest that Boruc didn’t make contact with the Arsenal player and it’s on these ground UEFA has decided to charge him.
From UEFA.com:
Eduardo fell in the penalty area in the 26th minute of the play-off second leg, which Arsenal won 3-1. Arsenal were awarded a spot-kick from which they scored their first goal. Having studied video evidence of the incident in question, the UEFA disciplinary inspector decided to charge the player concerned. The UEFA Control and Disciplinary Body will examine the case on 1 September.
Arsenal’s manager Arsene Wenger responded to the charge through BBC:
Gunners boss Arsene Wenger called the decision a “complete disgrace”.
“It singles out a player to be a cheat and that is not acceptable. We will not accept the way Uefa have treated this.”
And Wenger added: “I believe you can debate whether it is a penalty or not. But this charge implies that with intent and with a desire to cheat the referee, Eduardo did act.
“Having seen again the pictures, nothing is conclusive on that.”
I have to disagree with Wenger on this one. Eduardo is obviously looking for the penalty and when the goalkeeper rushes out he seizes the opportunity. It’s a definite case of simulation and I think UEFA is doing the correct thing charging the player. If they suspend the player for two games and continue to charge players trying to deceive the referee we may see a change in players behaviour.
The referee of the match was Spanish Manuel Mejuto Gonzalez. He’s a very respected referee throughout the world and he was selected for both Euro 2004 in Portugal and Euro 2008 in Austria/Switzerland.
In 2005 he refereed the UEFA Champions League final between AC Milan and Liverpool in Turkey. Though he’s one of the most trusted referee by UEFA he’s never been chosen to referee in the World Cup*.
* One of Gonzalez’s assistant failed the fitness test before World Cup 2006.
