UEFA has dismissed two Spanish referees, Alejandro Hernández Hernández and Jesús Gil Manzano, from officiating at Euro 2024 after receiving complaints about their performance.
Hernández, who served as the VAR official, faced criticism for dismissing Scotland’s penalty claim in their 1-0 loss to Hungary last Sunday. Manzano was under fire for his error during France’s 1-0 victory over Austria.
Alongside the two referees, their assistants, Diego Barbero Sevilla and Ángel Nevado Rodríguez, have also been sent home.
This decision leaves Martínez Munuera, a VAR official, as the only Spanish representative for the remainder of the tournament.
Former La Liga referee Iturralde Gonzalez has called on the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) to improve relations with UEFA following the dismissal of four out of five Spanish officials after the group stage.
“There is an urgent need for a Spanish representative on the refereeing committee,” Gonzalez told Spanish radio network Cadena SER.
In related news, Argentine referee Facundo Tello, who dismissed Scotland’s penalty protests against Hungary, has been named the fourth official for Italy’s last-16 tie against Switzerland on Saturday, despite earlier reports suggesting he had been dropped by UEFA.
Scotland manager Steve Clarke was visibly frustrated after his team was denied a penalty when Stuart Armstrong was brought down inside the box by Willi Orban.
Tello dismissed the claim, and lead VAR Hernández did not advise a review.
Clarke commented, “In a European competition it might have been better to have a European referee. But we had European VAR. Maybe the referee didn’t see the challenge clearly on the pitch, but what’s the purpose of VAR if they’re not going to come in on something like that? It’s a penalty. It’s 100 percent a penalty.”
Austria also expressed their displeasure with Manzano’s officiating in their 1-0 defeat to France, after they were not awarded a corner shortly before Max Wöber’s own goal secured the win for Didier Deschamps’ side.
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