GENEVA (AP) — It has been a difficult season within the Champions League for the 2022 World Cup ultimate referee Szymon Marciniak and his help officers from Poland.
Two stoppage-time selections by Marciniak and his group — affecting Bayern Munich within the semifinals on Wednesday and Newcastle in a group-stage sport in November — have fueled referee controversies which might be uncommon within the elite-level competitors.
Each instances, Marciniak’s and his group’s interventions appeared to go in opposition to the extensively understood recommendation UEFA provides match officers for its video games: Don’t cease play instantly for tight offside calls and don’t award a penalty for handball when the ball has deflected off a participant’s personal physique.
A “disastrous choice,” Bayern coach Thomas Tuchel mentioned of the assistant’s flag rapidly raised and Marciniak’s whistle rapidly blown for a potential offside in a last-chance assault within the thirteenth minute of stoppage time. Bayern wanted one objective to drive additional time in opposition to Actual Madrid.
Matthijs de Ligt then shot into Madrid’s web that, if allowed, would have tied the rating at 2-2 and saved Bayern in with an opportunity to succeed in the ultimate.
In Marciniak’s earlier controversy, Newcastle coach Eddie Howe spoke of a “poor choice … massively irritating” when Paris Saint-Germain transformed a spot kick eight minutes into stoppage time to salvage a 1-1 draw at Parc des Princes.
A win would have lifted Newcastle above PSG into second place within the group standings, behind chief Borussia Dortmund, with one spherical left. PSG in the end superior to the semifinals and was eradicated this week by Dortmund.
Marciniak awarded the penalty for handball in opposition to Newcastle defender Tino Livramento solely after being urged by his video assessment specialist to have a look at the pitchside monitor. That official, Tomasz Kwiatkowski, was stood down by UEFA from his subsequent Champions League sport.
Kwiatkowski additionally was on obligation on Wednesday in Madrid however by no means bought an opportunity to advise on the marginal offside name in opposition to Bayern as a result of Marciniak whistled to formally cease play earlier than De Ligt may shoot.
“It feels nearly like a betrayal ultimately due to that call,” Tuchel mentioned. “The referee doesn’t should whistle. He sees that we win the second ball, he sees that we get the shot away. To whistle is a really, very unhealthy choice. It’s in opposition to the principles and it’s a foul choice from each of them.
“The linesman mentioned sorry. That doesn’t assist.”
De Ligt mentioned the assistant apologized to him, saying, “I’m sorry, I made a mistake.”
“If it’s offside or not, I don’t know, VAR can examine it,” the Bayern defender mentioned. “However should you don’t examine it, how will you see it? This can be a disgrace.”
UEFA didn’t touch upon Thursday consistent with its coverage on field-of-play rulings.
In November, Marciniak’s video assessment specialist was faraway from obligation when UEFA’s chief of soccer was Zvonimir Boban, the Croatia nice who gained a Champions League with AC Milan. Boban left UEFA in January in a dispute with its president Aleksander Čeferin about governance requirements.
Marciniak and his group have been already out of competition for dealing with the Champions League ultimate on June 1 — when Madrid performs Dortmund at Wembley Stadium in London — as a result of they officiated the showpiece sport final 12 months. They have been extensively praised for dealing with Manchester Metropolis’s 1-0 win over Inter Milan, and their work on the World Cup ultimate in Qatar.
Controversy flared days earlier than that Champions League ultimate when Marciniak spoke at a enterprise rally in Poland run by a far-right politician.
Beneath stress from a Polish anti-discrimination group that works in soccer, and later UEFA, Marciniak made an announcement to “specific my deepest apologies” for being concerned within the occasion. He mentioned he was misled about its true nature.
“I humbly request a chance to make amends and regain your belief by means of my future actions,” the referee mentioned final June.
Nonetheless acknowledged as among the many world’s finest, Marciniak will return to UEFA obligation on the European Championship, the place Bayern’s stadium is one in all 10 venues for the June 14-July 14 event.
Will probably be a shock if UEFA sends Marciniak and his group to work in Munich so quickly.
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