In his second career European Championship match, Sandro Schärer is challenged by Portugal's Cristiano Ronaldo. But the Swiss referee masters the difficult task with flying colors, as expert Adrien Jaccottet points out.
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- Sandro Schärer has been a Swiss referee at the European Championships since 2010.
- But there is no grace period for the 36-year-old. In the match between Portugal and Georgia, he will be challenged in particular by Cristiano Ronaldo.
- Refereeing expert Adrien Jaccottet praised Schärer's handling of the world star in an interview with blue Sport and said: "That speaks for Sandro."
For the first time since 2010, Switzerland is once again providing a referee at a major event with Sandro Schärer. The 36-year-old was called up for the European Championship tournament in Germany and nominated for the opening match between Slovenia and Denmark - and put in a strong performance on his debut.
The reward: Schärer gets a second game and will be in charge of the match between Portugal and Georgia on Wednesday. He will be challenged by one player in particular: Cristiano Ronaldo.
"At some point, enough is enough"
The Portuguese superstar showed his dissatisfaction early on in the match and repeatedly complained to the referee. In the 28th minute, he went to ground after a tackle in the Georgian penalty area and vehemently demanded a penalty. There was no penalty - instead, Schärer was shown a yellow card for complaining. The correct decision?
In an interview with blue Sport, refereeing expert Adrien Jaccottet says: "That tug on Ronaldo is certainly borderline. But at the beginning of the scene he also holds his opponent. He also goes down theatrically. That's why it's okay for me to let the game continue."
Jaccottet considers the caution against the exceptional player to be unambiguous. "Even a Cristiano Ronaldo can't behave like that for a whole half. There's a system to it. They try to put young referees under pressure like that," said the 40-year-old. "Ronaldo had already started doing that before the scene in question. He was also warned because he was constantly complaining and making gestures. At some point, enough is enough."
Is there even a third outing for Schärer?
Certain players believe they have a special status. "That's why it's absolutely right to stand up to them and not accept it," emphasizes Jaccottet. "It speaks for Sandro that he doesn't shy away from big names and is consistent. He can be very satisfied with his performance."
Whether Schärer will even make a third European Championship appearance is nevertheless questionable. "He's not one of the most experienced referees at this European Championship. There are probably other big names who could be considered for the final games," explains Jaccottet. "But if UEFA is satisfied, there could well be another knockout game with a Swiss referee."
