Foreign refs for Croatian derby for first time in history
- by croatiaweek
- in Sport
Foreign refs for Croatian derby for first time in history
The Croatian Football Federation (HNS) has announced the official list of referees for the 28th round of the Croatian Football League (SuperSport HNL), and for the first time in history, German referees will officiate a match in the Croatian league.
After a number of controversies surrounded VAR in recent weeks, HNS has decided to opt for foreign refs as one of the most tightly contested league seasons in history enters its final stages.
“Following the eruption of the “VAR leaks” scandal, the HNS decided that until the end of the season, all derbies involving title contenders – Rijeka, Hajduk, and Dinamo – will be officiated by elite foreign referees,” daily Sportske novosti writes.
The derby between Hajduk and Dinamo at Poljud Stadium this Saturday will be officiated by Daniel Siebert from Germany, assisted on the field by Jan Seidel, Rafael Foltyn, and Timo Gerach.
German referees Johann Pfeifer and Michael Emmer will also be in the VAR room.
Siebert (39) is a top German referee with 13 matches in the UEFA Champions League, 16 in the UEFA Europa League, and he also officiated three matches at EURO 2021.
( SuperSport HNL current standings)
The HNS has not yet announced who will officiate the Croatian Cup semifinal match between Hajduk and Dinamo on April 3, also at Poljud Stadium.
