"Referee nightmare": UEFA sends Zwayer into stress game
The German team is following the hot phase of the UEFA European Championship from their vacation, but a countryman of theirs has made it to the semifinals: And there are heated discussions about Felix Zwayer. The English tabloids are already warming up.
Felix Zwayer is facing the biggest game of his career - and unlike usual, the referee is already in the spotlight well before the kickoff. Zwayer will whistle the EM semifinal between England and the Netherlands on Wednesday (21:00/ZDF, MagentaTV and live on ntv.de). This appointment is causing quite a stir. And not just the English tabloids.
The appointment is explosive due to a allegation made by English offensive star Jude Bellingham in December 2021. The then professional at Borussia Dortmund criticized Zwayer sharply after his controversial refereeing in the top game against FC Bayern Munchen (2:3) and indirectly accused him of bribery in reference to the scandal surrounding Robert Hoyzer, which is now 18 years old. "You're giving a referee who was involved in match manipulation the biggest game in Germany. What do you expect?", Bellingham said after the loss, during which Zwayer made several errors.
"Referee Nightmare"
Zwayer dismissed Bellingham's barely veiled accusations, but after the game he also took a several-week break due to heavy criticism. Bellingham was fined by the DFB, and Zwayer has not refereed a BVB game since then. There was no reconciliation between the two. Now they meet again - and for the first time on the biggest stage.
Zwayer made headlines in 2014 when his punishment, which the German Football Association (DFB) had imposed on him after his cooperation with referee Robert Hoyzer, finally came to light. Hoyzer received a lifelong ban, and Zwayer was among the officials who exposed his manipulations, which was reflected in his relatively short ban. The English tabloids have already taken a position against Zwayer: "Referee Nightmare" was the sensational appointment of Zwayer, a referee nightmare, headlined the British tabloid "The Sun".
Former Bundesliga professional and current TV expert Jan-Aage Fjortoft, who once heard Bellingham make serious statements in his microphone, wondered: "I'm not sure what the UEFA is thinking, putting Zwayer in charge of the England game." English football legend Gary Lineker asked via X: "How did the UEFA come to this?"
Graefe finds it "irresponsible"
Former top referee Manuel Graefe, who had already criticized Zwayer's EM nomination as a "scandal," now added: "Madness," was the appointment. "Irresponsible of all sides... Just a power demonstration inside and out (we decide)-independent of performance/past." Graefe had reportedly played a role in ensuring that Zwayer reported Hoyzer's misconduct to the association. Zwayer has always denied this account.
For the English team, the scheduling, which is being hotly debated at home, is not an issue, they assure. "We have to respect UEFA, regardless of who they choose as referee," said Luke Shaw. The Manchester United professional has never felt that a referee had it in for him. At the same time, Shaw downplayed Bellingham's outburst: "In a heated moment, one can get angry and think that, but whoever was chosen would have been chosen, we just have to be ready," he said. "It makes no difference for us."
The Boss Looks On Personally
The UEFA remained silent on their decision to assign Zwayer to the biggest game of his refereeing career so far. The refereeing body is aware of the issue. And so, Referee Chief Roberto Rosetti will be present on site as a referee observer. The Italian will closely follow how the renewed encounter between Zwayer and England's star Bellingham plays out on the stage.
His performance at the European Championship, where Zwayer has already officiated three games, justifies a nomination for another knockout game. Zwayer did not commit any major blunders. Unlike, for example, star referee Daniele Orsato, who put in a poor performance in the German team's group stage finale against Switzerland, but is now one of the remaining top candidates for the final. In the build-up to the game, nothing will change for Zwayer, who in the turbulent weeks following Bellingham's attack thought about retiring.
The other semi-final between Spain and France will be refereed by Slavko Vinčić. There is no systemic reason that prevents Zwayer from being assigned to this game. However, there is a suspicion that a referee might have called for Zwayer in this case: A German referee, only a few days after Spain eliminated the German team from the tournament in a contentious decision? What a unfortunate assignment. On the other hand: The referee who stirred up the German soul with an undeserved penalty call was Anthony Taylor. An Englishman. It's complicated.
Despite the controversy surrounding Felix Zwayer's past refereeing incidents, including Jude Bellingham's accusations of bribery, he has been appointed to referee the highly anticipated semifinal match between England and the Netherlands at the European Football Championship 2024. English football legend Gary Lineker and former Bundesliga professional Jan-Aage Fjortoft have voiced their concerns about Zwayer's appointment.
