Michael Oliver, UEFA’s choice for the match between Germany and Denmark, got off to a bad start at Euro 2024 in Spain-Croatia with a couple of questionable decisions. For six years, for everyone or almost everyone, despite the great esteem he has always enjoyed and still enjoys, he is “the referee with a garbage can instead of a heart”, as Gigi Buffon called him in 2018 for the penalty conceded in the 90th minute to Real Madrid in the Champions League which cost Juventus elimination. International for twelve years, he has already refereed in World and European Championships. His last direction before the European Championships was the Conference League semi-final first leg between Fiorentina and Brugge but how did the English whistle fare yesterday?
Oliver’s history with Germany and Denmark
The precedents against Germany were sensational, managed three times by Oliver and defeated on all three occasions. Two crossings with Denmark with a record of one win and one draw.
The referee cautioned two players
Assisted by assistants Burt and Cook with Bosnian Peljto IV man and Attwell to the VARthe referee cautioned two players: Andersen, Maehle. Recovery time: 1′ pt and 5′ st.
Germany-Denmark, the slow motion cases
These are the dubious episodes. In the 4th minute, following the development of the corner taken by Toni Kroos, Schlotterbeck scores: Joshua Kimmich, however, makes an irregular block on Vestergaard, the referee whistles for the attacking foul and disallows the goal. In the 19th minute Christensen pushes Sané on his back who, feeling himself touched from behind, accentuates the fall a little: Oliver lets it slide. At 35′ bad weather forces the referee to suspend the match for 25′. At 50′ another goal is disallowed, Andersen scores but the former Sampdoria player is beyond the German defensive line on a touch from Højlund. At 53′ the same Andersen hits Raum’s cross with his hand. Recalled to theon field reviewOliver can do nothing but decree the penalty.
In the 57th minute, first yellow card of the match for Joachim Andersen due to repeated protests against the referee. In the 60th minute also yellow for Mæhle. After the foul on Leroy Sané, the former Atalanta man protests visibly and Oliver warns him. At 92′ another goal taken away from Germany. Wirtz enters the penalty area, skips past Schmeichel and pushes the ball into the net but the assistant raises his flag. After a minute of silent check Oliver confirms the decision of the field and Germany-Denmark ends 2-0.
