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UEFA Champions League 2013/14

Play-Offs, 1st Leg

(NED) PSV Eindhoven 1:1 AC Milan (ITA)

20/08/2013, 20:45 CET – Eindhoven (Netherlands)

Goals scored: 0:1 El Shaarawy (MIL, 15‘), 1:1 Matavž (PSV, 60’)

Match Officials Name NAT Mark Mark* Difficulty

Referee Cüneyt Çakır TUR 8.3 0.0 Quite Challenging
Assistant Referee 1 Bahattin Duran TUR 8.6 0.0 Quite Challenging
Assistant Referee 2 Tarik Ongun TUR 8.4 0.0 Normal
Additional Assistant Referee 1 Hüseyin Göçek TUR 8.0 0.0 Normal
Additional Assistant Referee 2 Mete Kalkavan TUR 8.1 0.0 Normal
Fourth Official Mustafa Emre Eyisoy TUR 8.0 0.0 Normal
UEFA Referee Observer Nikolay Levnikov RUS
UEFA Delegate Steve Stride ENG
Blog Observer Niclas E. GER * mark without crucial mistake (7.8/7.9)

Evaluation Scale Level of Difficulty

9.0 – 10.0 Excellent. Normal: Normal match for the officials, few
8.5 – 8.9 Very good. Important decision(s) correctly taken. challenging situations

8.3 – 8.4 Good. Expected level. Quite Challenging: Difficult match with some
8.2 Satisfactory with small areas for improvement. difficult decisions for the officials

8.0 – 8.1 Satisfactory with important areas for improvement. Very Challenging: Very difficult match with
7.9 One clear and important mistake, otherwise 8.3 or above. many difficult situations for the officials

7.8 One clear and important mistake, otherwise 8.0 – 8.2.

Below expectation, poor control, significant point(s) for Additional Time
7.5 – 7.7
improvement.
Disappointing. Below expectation with one and clear important First half 1 Second half 3
7.0 – 7.4 mistake or a performance with two or more clear and important
mistakes.
*For fourth official and AARs:
6.0 – 6.9 Unacceptable. 8.0 expected level, 7.7 crucial mistake

Disciplinary Home Team Disciplinary Away Team

Minute Card Player Misconduct Classification Minute Card Player Misconduct Classification
45+2‘ YC 6 Unsporting behaviour (UB) 38’ YC 10 Unsporting behaviour (UB)
63‘ YC 4 Unsporting behaviour (UB)
70‘ YC 45 Unsporting behaviour (UB)
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Description of the match:

Play-Off match between PSV Eindhoven and AC Milan in front of a full and heated atmosphere procuded by 35.000
supporters at Philips Stadion. The match could be played under very good weather and field conditions contributing to a
very good piece of attacking football, which challenged the referee in following play at all times. The young Dutch squad
impressed in the early minutes but had to cope with a surprising goal scored by their opponents. They came back into the
match with much passion and verve so that a draw was in the end more than justified and deserved. The match never was
unfair or “poisoned”, but nonetheless there were some smaller conflicts and tackles whose intensity was enhanced by the
furious crowd. Therefore experienced referee Cüneyt Çakır all in all faced a quite challenging match.

REFEREE

1 Application and interpretation of the Laws of the Game / match control, tactical approach and management of the
game with the special situation(s) of the minute(s):

Comments:
Referee Çakır performed very well under the aspect of detecting infringements and spotting corner kicks / goal kicks,
meaning that he often proofed a sophisticated game feeling and eye for the last contact between player and ball (e.g.
visible in the decision in favour of a goal kick for Milan in minute 4). Very good criteria for handball, proven many times.
He had a clear and predictable line throughout the entire match and the players were able to understand where physical
play ended and infringements started. Furthermore he did not hesitate to whistle free kicks in dangerous positions and was
unimpressed and not influenced by the crowd (see 5)). From the first minute of the game, the tactical approach became
quite visible: the referee chose a passive approach to allow the players and the match to develop and create its dynamic,
supported by an overall satisfying application of the advantage rule. Nonetheless, he must pay more attention to be aware
of being ready to change this approach to an active one when the time has come and certain events in the match require
more determination and presence. This was done after the half-time break, but should have started a bit earlier at the end
of the first half. He showed willingness to explain his decisions to the players but did not always meet their approval, which
is quite natural. It is not needed to always encounter offenders and the entire situation with gestures that should remind the
players to calm down (specially visible in minute 38, when he cautioned Milan’s #10 for an elbow offense). He tolerated too
many dissents by word specially by Milan’s #45 Balotelli, who frequently questioned the referee’s and his team-mates’
decisions (e.g. when he verbally complaint into the direction of AR1 after a throw-in decision in favour of PSV, minute 40).
and should have shown a stricter dealing with that, otherwise his authority and match control might suffer from that in
some matches. It did not happen in this one – overall the match was under full control for the whole 90 minutes plus added
th
time. In the 90 minute, he well calmed down a small confrontation between a PSV player and Balotelli.
Correct to not award a penalty to Milan after their forward #92 collided with PSV goalkeeper #21 in the penalty area. No
complaints from the forward either (minute 51).
In one particular situation, the referee should have taken another decision. When Milan’s #45 Balotelli fell in the penalty
area, the referee was very well positioned and immediately signalized “no penalty” and then awarded a free kick to PSV as
Balotelli had handled the ball after having fallen. The replays revealed that it was a clear dive. The referee should be more
precise in his assessment of such situations, recognizing clear cases of simulation and cautioning the respective offender.

Minute Description of the situation

It seemed as if the referee certainly spotted the simulation that had been committed by Balotelli, at least his
23’
positioning allowed to do so. Therefore he should show no hesitation to punish them in future.
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2 Disciplinary control, management of players and team officials (bench) with the special situation(s) of the
minute(s):

Comments:
The disciplinary management was overall good. The referee only issued cautions when really necessary with regard to
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fouls in the midfield. The first caution went against Milan’s #10 in the 38 minute, who recklessly carted out his elbow in a
jumping duel and touched his opponent twice with it (in the air and after touching the ball). He should have presented
himself in a more decisive way though and should have avoided to wait too long with showing the card. The players used
this chance to try some protests against his call. The second caution was more debatable. PSV #6 fouled MIL #45 when
the ball was already away. #45 however waited for this contact and fell in a way that was more spectacular than
necessary. Nevertheless, the card was no complete error, as an obvious infringement occurred when the ball was already
played for a few moments (probably this decision was also bolstered by an advice given by the fourth official). Other yellow
cards were shown in the second half, one for a reckless tackle very close to AR1 (#4) and another one to MIL #45 for a
tactical foul (holding) to stop a counterattack. Both decisions absolutely in line with the Laws of the Game and the referee’s
line of interpreting things in this match. He should punish dissent by word in future, Balotelli was really lucky to get away
without a card after verbally criticizing AR1 in minute 40.
In future he must find a more consistent dealing with delaying the re-start of play. In many occasions Milan players wasted
some time, even in the first half. He often pointed to his watch to indicate that this wasted time would be added upon the
90 minutes, which however did not happen. The standard additional time of 3 minutes was signalized. In two situations at
the far-side, the referee did not appear in a convincing way while dealing with that (66’ and 82’). In 66’, this was very
striking because, at a free-kick in the midfield for Milan, #18 obviously delayed the free kick’s execution. For this reason,
Çakır sprinted towards him and made some hysterical gestures to tell him “Stop wasting time, do that again and you will be
cautioned!”. This way to communicate with players and to achieve that time-wasting is banned out of the match definitely
need improvement – even more because in minute 82, a similar thing happened and once again, the referee did not issue
a caution. He should “hold what he promised” in future.

Minute Description of the situation

He should have demanded more respect for his and his team-mates’ decisions, after Balotelli strongly protested
40
into the direction of AR1.
Here the referee missed the right point for a caution for delaying the re-start of play. His whole management
66 with that issue should be improved, starting from detecting time-wasting, continuing with cautioning offenders
for that and ending with enlarging the additional time (4 or 5 minutes would have been adequate).

3 Physical Condition:

Very good

Positioning and Movement:

+ Expected -

X --- --- Always close to the play, follows play at all times, and does not interfere with play
--- X --- Flexible diagonal system
--- X --- Able to anticipate the action
--- X --- Enters the penalty area when necessary
--- X --- Efficient positioning at set pieces / dead ball (e.g. corner-kick, free-kick, goal-kick)

Please describe any special situation(s) with indication of the minute(s) – mandatory if you tick “-“ (negative point) in one of
the above boxes:
Minute Description of the situation
As indicated in the description of the match, the game was characterized by a very high pace. The referee
never had problems to follow play as a result of a very good stamina, movement and positioning. When the ball
Full time
reached the goalkeeper after a wave of attacking play, he immediately sprinted towards the midfield circle to
guarantee to be on level with play at the next counterattack. Well done.
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4 Co-operation with assistant referees, additional assistant referees (where applicable) and fourth official:

The referee team acting on this pitch is a very experienced one. It was visible that the referee easily relied on his team-
mates, e.g. in the third booking that was recommended by AR1. One had the feeling that they communicated well with
each other, even though there was no remarkable scene where one of the team-mates could have played a really decisive
role.

5 Personality:

The referee’s personality and charisma both can be described as modest. He eschewed great gestures for most of the
time and wanted to control the match with a calm and friendly mood. His facial expression and body language supported
that. He often showed the players that his decisions are final but that he is open to explain them to them. Sometimes it
could have been wiser to show more determination and severity to fill the room for protests he offered to the players in
some moments of the first half.

6 General comments, advice on performance and personality:

After Old Trafford (ManU – Real Madrid), this match was the comeback of Cüneyt Çakır on Champions League stage. He
did overall well and showed his skills one is used to see. The basic performance in terms of controlling the match and
taking decisions was very good, however in some instances, his dealing with certain aspects and players should be
improved. Therefore a possible mark of 8.5 was reduced to 8.3.

7 Points discussed in the report:

Interpretation of the Laws of the Game: detection of infringements (foul, no foul,

Positive points: 1)
handling the ball) and of the correct type of re-starting play (goal kick, corner kick).
Understandable and predictable reaction to infringements. His disciplinary control
2)
was sensibly chosen, even though he missed one or two further cautions.
Sovereign body language, modest appearance on the pitch and the ability to calm
3)
players down even in situations of possible conflicts and unpopular decisions.
Physical aspects: a great stamina and movement allowed him to follow this high-
4)
pace match.

Points for improvement:
Dealing with delaying the re-start of play. Decide: either sort out some cautions to
ban this behaviour already started by Milan players in the first half, or keep your
promise to enlarge the additional time at the end of the second half often indicated
1)
by pointing to the wristwatch. Hysterical sprints and gestures to instruct some
players to stop wasting time were naturally not successful and should be avoided
in future.
Demanding the players’ respect for his refereeing team’s decisions in a more
2) determined manner. Cautioning Balotelli (#45) for dissent by word towards AR1
could have been a signal that undermining his authority would not be accepted.
Finding the right point of time to switch the approach from passive to active. More
3)
flexibility might help.
4) Cautioning clear occasions of simulation instead of letting the game go on.
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ASSISTANT REFEREE 1

8 Assistant referee’s performance (please mention some important decisions with reference to the minute):

Positioning and Movement:

+ Expected -

--- X --- Correct offside decisions and good application of the “wait and see” technique
--- X --- Good positioning and movement
--- X --- Adequate alertness and good co-operation with the referee
--- X --- Reaction to incidents within his vicinity
--- X --- Efficient control at set pieces / dead ball (e.g. corner-kick, free-kick, goal-kick)

Comments:
Very good and faultless performance by the first assistant referee, Bahattin Duran. He took a crucial decision correct when
nd
he detected that Milan’s goal-scorer #92 was on level with the 2 last defender during the 0:1. All other offside and onside
th
decisions looked good, in the 67 minute, he proofed a good application of the wait and see technique.
Furthermore, he well reacted to incidents happening in his area of vicinity, e.g. when he spotted that the ball had already
crossed the sideline in minute 40 or the foul leading to a yellow card in minute 63. In the first example (40’), he stayed
calm when Balotelli protested against his decision, advising the referee to caution the player would have been adequate
though.
Overall a very good performance, 8.6.
Please describe any special situation(s) with indication of the minute(s) – mandatory if you tick “-“ (negative point) in one of
the above boxes:
Minute Description of the situation
Very good onside decision prior to Milan’s goal. Good positioning led to a correct decision with a crucial
13
outcome for the match.

ASSISTANT REFEREE 2

9 Assistant referee’s performance (please mention some important decisions with reference to the minute):

Positioning and Movement:

+ Expected -

--- X --- Correct offside decisions and good application of the “wait and see” technique
--- X --- Good positioning and movement
--- X --- Adequate alertness and good co-operation with the referee
--- X --- Reaction to incidents within his vicinity
--- X --- Efficient control at set pieces / dead ball (e.g. corner-kick, free-kick, goal-kick)
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Comments:
The second assistant referee, Tarik Ongun, was rarely challenged in this match but performed well whenever demanded.
nd
He took a very good decision in the first minute of play when PSV #6, having been level with the 2 last defender,
deflected a shot of #9 and thus nearly scored a very early goal. Due to the confusing character of the situation and high
pace, this call was really challenging. But that was the only really demanding situation he had to cope with. Therefore a
really good performance assessed with 8.4.
Please describe any special situation(s) with indication of the minute(s) – mandatory if you tick “-“ (negative point) in one of
the above boxes:
Minute Description of the situation

ADDITIONAL ASSISTANT REFEREE 1

10 Additional Assistant referee’s performance (please mention some important decisions with reference to the
minute):

Positioning and Movement:

+ Expected -

--- X --- Good positioning and movement

--- X --- Adequate alertness and good co-operation with the referee
--- X --- Reaction to incidents within his vicinity
--- X --- Efficient control at set pieces / dead ball (e.g. corner-kick, free-kick, goal-kick)

Comments:
The first additional assistant referee, Hüseyin Göçek, was not remarkably involved in game-relevant situations or
decisions. Everything normal and on expected level.
Please describe any special situation(s) with indication of the minute(s) – mandatory if you tick “-“ (negative point) in one of
the above boxes:
Minute Description of the situation
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ADDITIONAL ASSISTANT REFEREE 2

11 Additional Assistant referee’s performance (please mention some important decisions with reference to the
minute):

Positioning and Movement:

+ Expected -

X --- --- Good positioning and movement

--- X --- Adequate alertness and good co-operation with the referee
--- X --- Reaction to incidents within his vicinity
--- X --- Efficient control at set pieces / dead ball (e.g. corner-kick, free-kick, goal-kick)

Comments:
st
The second additional assistant referee, Mete Kalkavan, was a bit more involved in the match. In the 51 minute, he had
to decide: either he follows the lob on goal by Milan #92, which probably will reach the goal, or he pays attention to the
collision between the goalkeeper and Milan’s forward #92 after the lob is executed. He decided in favour of the first
opportunity, which was surely good. Milan #92 nearly collided with AAR2 when he fell. The AAR had no chance to assess
the collision, an error that lies in the system. However, nothing happened which demanded a penalty kick after watching
the replays. Later on, a clearance by a PSV defender totally hit AAR2, who stood firmly and still. The defender apologized
th
with a handshake, Kalkavan accepted and had to smile a bit, nice scene (84 minute). His very flexible and active
movement and positioning on the goalline, certainly at corner kicks, was remarkable.
Please describe any special situation(s) with indication of the minute(s) – mandatory if you tick “-“ (negative point) in one of
the above boxes:
Minute Description of the situation

FOURTH OFFICIAL

12 Comment on the fourth official:

Maybe the fourth official advised the referee to issue the second caution of the match against a PSV player. Otherwise, he
performed on expected level and managed everything in a decent way. Nothing controversial between both benches.