European, South American referees picked for quarters
MOSCOW: Fifa has picked European and South American referees to handle the World Cup quarter-finals that feature only teams from their regions.
The Uruguay v France game will be refereed by Nestor Pitana of Argentina today in Nizhny Novgorod. It will be his fourth assignment, including the opening game.
Also today, the Brazil v Belgium game in Kazan will be handled by Milorad Mazic of Serbia. He handled the Champions League final in May.
Fifa says Brazilian referee Sandro Ricci will work Russia v Croatia tomorrow in Sochi. He handled Croatia’s first groupstage game against Nigeria.
The Sweden v England quarter-final in Samara tomorrow will be the fourth game refereed by Bjorn Kuipers of the Netherlands.
Meanwhile Fifa says it “strongly rebukes” Argentina great Diego Maradona’s comments that England’s win over Colombia was a robbery and that referee Mark Geiger was not up to the task.
“Following comments made by Diego Armando Maradona... Fifa strongly rebukes the criticism of the performance of the match officials which it considers to have been positive in a tough and highly emotional match,” Fifa said in a statement.
“It also considers t he additional comments and insinuations made as being entirely inappropriate and completely unfounded.”
England won the round of 16 match on penalties following 120 minutes marred by squabbling, protests to the referee, playacting and feigning injury.
Maradona said England’s win was a “monumental robbery” and that Geiger “shouldn’t be given a match of this magnitude”.
He added: “Geiger, an American, what a coincidence.”