Roberto Rosetti has taken stock of what happened in the group stage in terms of refereeing. One of the aspects that the Italian has highlighted is the The number of yellow cards has increased from 98 in the previous Euro to 166, caused largely by the so-called tactical fouls and which have led to a reprimand. In total 35 for the 8 of the previous appointment. As for red cards, there is a slight increase, going from two in the previous Euros to three.
One of the aspects in which football has evolved in this European Championship is the speed in the decision on dubious plays, especially those that refer to the detection of offside. “We are very happy with that. “We are moving towards a faster and more dynamic football.” The average time taken to detect offside is 53 seconds, and the time taken in the Champions League is one minute and nineteen seconds.
The magic ball
The VAR has intervened on 12 occasions. In seven of them the goal was disallowed, five for offside, one for touching the ball with the hand (the magic adidas ball was key in this) and another for a foul by the striker. A penalty was cancelled, another changed for a foul outside the area, a mistake of identity in a caution, a penalty repeated.
Regarding playing time, the figures are very similar to those of 2021. From the 60′ 30” three years ago, now one minute has fallen by the wayside, but it is still more than two minutes of play than in 2016.
One of the aspects that Rosetti has highlighted is the use of technology. “It doesn’t always work, but sometimes it works, just as the goal was disallowed because a player previously touched the player with his hand“, points out the referee’s official from UEFA. He also implied that the players have understood what to reduce the protests to the referee. “The explanations will only be given to the captains and the players seem to understand it, although that does not mean that they cannot talk”.
Gil Manzano, main referee of France-Austria and who also served as fourth in another match, is no longer in the Euro Cup, as is Hernández Hernández, who has been in Germany as a VAR. The Negreira case and some scenes experienced last season have taken their toll, in addition to the retirement of some of the referees with a poster within UEFA and FIFA such as Del Cerr and Mateu Lahoz.
