Coimbra calling, not Wigan

Style and content

Mr. Probert is a "very English" referee thus letting more than a few contacts not to be called (for example, 16', 19' 45'), but the worst case (30') was "a referee's miss" - he just didn't see Cleyton's studs stuck into Raul Garcia's shins, thus awarding the culprit's team a throw-in instead of booking cleyton and awarding a free-kick to Atletico. Out of the eight times the yellow card was shown, I would like to question two cases, both for dissent (41', 90'+1'). In the first one, a (very soft) foul was called against Nivaldo (Aca.) in center-cicrcle. He reacted by throwing the ball very gently to an on-coming opponent less than 10m. away. In the second case, a free-kick was awarded to Atletico. Makelele (aca.) who was running towards the ball kicked it instinctively (not maliciously) when the whistle went or just after. As for pace and positioning, for me, uncharacteristically of an Engkish ref., Mr. Probert didn't try too hard to get close to to the scenes where action took place. (rminiscences from Wigan?) This "policy" was highlighted when he awarde Academica with a penalty-kick (69'). If only Mr. Probert would have rushed towards the penalty-area as he was quite afar when he correctly spotted the infringement (the spot-kick was converted to double Academica's lead).

Ars and game

Mr. Probert was assisted by Mr. Collin and Mr. Beck. I wonder if Mr. Beck couldn't have better spotted the studs incident mentioned above, as it happened close to "his" touch-line. He also contributed a very strange offside decision against Atletico (56') which even the replay cameras couldn't provide a clue to whom the ar attributed the offside position. Mr. Collin was more active and less vulnerable to making mistakes that crucial. The game itself was equally balanced in the first half even after the home team scored the leading goal (28'). During the second half the scales tipped slowly but surely in Academica's favour. The waves of Atletico's offensive in the last ten minutes were too late and as the final result demonstrates - fruitless.