Unofficial Referee Observers Report

FINAL
3:0

rbitro Internacional & The Third Team

(BRA) BRAZIL

SPAIN (ESP)

30 June 2013, 19:00 Local Time Estdio do Maracan, Rio de Janiero (BRA) Match Officials
Referee Assistant Referee 1 Assistant Referee 2 Fourth Official Reserve AR Blog Referee Observer
1 2 3

Name
Bjrn Kuipers Sander van Roekel Erwin Zeinstra Felix Brych Mark Borsch Chefren

Origin
NED NED NED GER GER ITA

Mark1
8.7 8.4 8.5 8.3

Mark2
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Difficulty3
Very challenging Challenging Challenging Normal

Final mark according to evaluation scale.! Mark without crucial mistake(s). Difficulty has to be integrated into the final mark. Levels of difficulty are: normal, challenging and very challenging. 4 Blog-Referee Observer =Inofficial referee observer appointed by the blog administrator.

Evaluation scale
(for referee, ARs and fourth official)

Description of the Marks Excellent. Very good. Important decision(s) correctly taken. Good. Expected level. Satisfactory with small areas for improvement. Satisfactory with important areas for improvement. One clear and important mistake, otherwise 8.3 or above. One clear and important mistake, otherwise 8.0 8.2. Below expectation, poor control, significant point(s) for improvement. Disappointing. Below expectation with one and clear important mistake or a performance with two or more clear and important mistakes. Unacceptable.

9.0 10.0 8.5 8.9 8.3 8.4 8.2 8.0 8.1 7.9 7.8 7.5 7.7 7.0 7.4 6.0 6.9

Small description of the match (extra-ordinary incidents etc.):

The final of FIFA Confederations Cup 2013, between Brazil (the home team) and Spain. The match was played in Rio De Jaineiro at Estdio do Maracan, in front of a full attendance

(about 75.000). An impressive crowd created an amazing atmosphere in which of course the referee might have been under pressure. The choice made by FIFA (appointing a UEFA referee for this match) broke the confederations rule, which had been kept in all the previous matches until then. Bjrn Kuipers was honored with this final, after having whistled the Europa League one on May 2013. Furthermore, he was accompanied again by the same fourth official, Felix Brych from Germany. Despite of the final score (3-0) which could give the idea of an easy-going game for the referee, the match was really challenging for the officials, starting from the first minutes, also because both teams knew how much it was important to win this trophy.

Unofficial Referee Observers Report

FINAL

rbitro Internacional & The Third Team

Referee
Relevant Decisions Minute and Description of the Scene / Assessment of the referees decision Unintentional handball by Arbeloa (ESP) prior to Brazil goal. Correct decision to 3 let the game flow. Penalty appeal by Spain. Handball in area by Marcelo (BRA) The touch is clearly 6 unintentional, the player has his arm in a consistent position and he also tries to avoid the contact with the ball. Well evaluated by Kuipers. Arbeloa (ESP) stops Neymar with an irregular action in the midfield. The scenario could give the idea of a DOGSO because it was a counter attack and all the players were on the other side of the pitch, while the Brazilian striker had the chance to run towards the keeper alone. Nevertheless, the decision to give YC 15 and not RC by the referee is correct at least for two reasons: Neymar was not in possession of the ball, and it seemed also not easy to reach it, furthermore the scene happened too far away from the area, in order to give a red card. Many complaints by Brazilian players for this decision, they surrounded Kuipers. Sergio Ramos (ESP) commits foul on Oscar (BRA)n near the penalty area. Another potentially DOGSO situation. Also in this case the player fouled is not in 28 possession of the ball, furthermore the scene YC given by the referee is also justified by the fact that another Spanish defender, Piqu, was ready to take part in the action. Therefore, we can accept the referee decision. Navas (ESP) is fouled in penalty area by Marcelo (BRA). Clear situation, penalty 54 whistled without hesitations by Kuipers. Casillas (ESP) is in trouble outside of his area. It seems that he touches the ball with his body near the arm, but its impossible to understand if he commits a 58 handball, so we stay with the referee here. Anyway, no complaints by Brazilian players. Piqu (ESP) is sent off receiving a straight red card after a foul on Neymar (BRA), which was going to have an important chance to score. This time the Brazilian player had the possession of the ball and he was running towards the goal. Piqu (ESP) aware that it was the last chance to stop him, committed a blatant foul 68 hitting the leg of the opponent with the ball away. We can accept the decision made by Kuipers, because this time the DOGSO seemed clearer, especially for the fact that Neymar was ready to shot on goal in a while, having the ball. There werent other defenders so close to him. Different situation from the previous one (28).

Unofficial Referee Observers Report

FINAL

rbitro Internacional & The Third Team

Basic Observations (refer to the general application of the LotG, highlight the referees tactical approach, personality, match control, management of the teams and players, teamwork etc.). Please deploy short but precise and detailed sentences! Positive Points Even though in the first minutes of the match it seemed that Kuipers was going to lose the control, it wasnt totally his fault. Players were nervous, for this reason 1. they also tried to influence the referee. Kuipers was able to keep on his work without being affected from such scenes. In the second half and then until the end of the match the atmosphere became calmer. This was the positive point. As said above, for each crucial call made by Kuipers, we can find the explanation 2. in the LotG. For this reason, he had a very good application of the rules, showing also to be able to evaluate each case, ad giving the correct disciplinary measure. Communication with player. He was clear in his explanations, when, for example, 3. Piqu (ESP) was sent off. The teamwork was good nevertheless there werent so many situations in which 4. the assistants might have helped the referee for something happened in their area of vicinity. Consistency in his card management. Apart from the mandatory scenes (2 YC ad 5. 1 RC for Spain) he never gave a card for normal fouls during the game. Acceptable decision if you then show to be consistent. Points for Improvement The big point for improvement, and maybe the only one we can point out after this match, is strictly related to the first positive point, mentioned above. He was aware that Brazilian players, being at home, felt in the right to act in that way, in order to influence the referee in the most important decisions of the match. We 1. have said that Kuipers was able to avoid that, but he had to face in a stronger and clearer way those complaints. He seemed to be too passive. Harsh warnings or even cards might have been the right choice. Anyway, again, at the end the only important thing for the game is that he was not affected. Neymar (BRA) decided to celebrate his goal leaving the field and celebrating with the fans on the stands. According to the LotG this behavior can be punished by a 2. YC. Anyway, this should not be read as a real criticism, but just as remark. This is in a certain way also related to the previous point, because Brazilian players sometimes felt free to do what they wanted. 3. The positioning can be improved, anyway still expected level.

Unofficial Referee Observers Report

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rbitro Internacional & The Third Team

The referees character Physical Aspects Fitness / Stamina Always close to play without interfering with it Flexible diagonal movement Positioning at set pieces Efficient positioning, having a good angle of vision to play Close to the penalty area, if needed Tactical Approach Description very lenient lenient X Yes Consistency in the tactical approach / style The tactical approach suited to the requirements of the match / the match benefitted from the tactical approach of the referee Ability to adapt the tactical approach if needed X X X So-so No medium + Expected X X X X X X strict very strict -

Further observations (peculiarities of the referee revealing his character) Bjrn Kuipers wish after this match was, according to his words in a interview released to FIFA, that nobody was going to talk about him. Therefore, for this reason he probably made the choice to whistle only the needed, giving cards in extremely mandatory situations and allowing as long as possible the play in normal conditions. At the end, we can say that this choice, in a such fascinating match, was good. The game benefitted from the tactical approach of the Dutch referee and it was an amazing show to watch. It might have been really different with another referee on the middle.

Unofficial Referee Observers Report

FINAL

rbitro Internacional & The Third Team

Assistant Referee 1
Please assess the first assistant referees performance. Minute and Description of the Scene / Assessment of the ARs behaviour Fred (BRA) scores for the 3-0 in a difficult situation to read. On the pass by Hulk (BRA), he seems to be in a very slight offside but the replays are not clear, for 47 this reason we stay with the assistant in this situation, accepting his decision to allow the goal without raising the flag for offside. 56 Oscar (BRA) is flagged offside. Correct decision, not easy. Marcelo (BRA) is evaluated onside. The decision to not raise the flag is 64 acceptable, nevertheless probably the player was in a very slight offside of a few centimeters, but really impossible to detect. 77 Jadson (BRA) is flagged offside. Correct decision.

Assistant Referee 2
Please assess the second assistant referees performance. Minute and Description of the Scene / Assessment of the ARs behaviour Fred (BRA) scores. Correct evaluation of Neymar position ,which was onside 3 prior to the goal scored and then in a not active offside when the goal was scored by the teammate. 15 Neymar (BRA) is correctly evaluated onside prior to be fouled by the opponent. Fred (BRA) is evaluated onside in a crucial situation (OGSO). Excellent NO 32 FLAG. Neymar (BRA) scores starting from a regular position. Very good NO FLAG by 44 AR2, we must underline that Neymar was in offside until a few seconds prior to the pass of the teammate, then he was able to return back onside. Well detected.

Fourth Official
Please assess the fourth officials performance. Minute and Description of the Scene / Assessment of the fourth officials behaviour Felix Brych had again the honor to be the fourth official in a final. He executed well his work, nothing extra-ordinary happened. He shoed to be ready and alert in Full time case of possible situations in his area of vicinity. Several chats with the coaches. Expected level.