It’s been a long time since French football, that of the clubs at least, has ridden machines so much. This season, in fact, given the number of clubs it places in the semi-finals, with PSG in the Champions League against Dortmund, but also OM in the Europa League against Benfica, our country is looking great. Especially since he can also boast of having positioned two referees in the semi-final first leg of European Cups, C1 and C3 included.
With, on one side, the indestructible Clément Turpin on the whistle for the Real-Bayern half this Tuesday, and François Letexier, the little youngster who is rising, who is rising, and who should normally be in charge of Thursday’s match between Roma and Bayer Leverkusen in the Europa League. When we know the crisis that French arbitration has just gone through this season and the cartloads of controversies that have accompanied our weekends since last August, this ratio of 50% French referees on the C1 and C3 fields this week raises questions.
Would we be too hard on them? Is French refereeing less bad than the plague every week, players, managers and commentators throughout the broadcast. We asked the question to Bruno Derrien, a retired international referee and regular consultant in sports media. For him, it is difficult to read the case of Letexier and Turpin in the same way.
A season marked by numerous controversies
“François Letexier became the number 1 referee in France last year, he dethroned Clément Turpin if I dare say so. He has the full confidence of UEFA, as we saw with his appointment during the quarter-final first leg between Real and Manchester City, which he managed very well. In my opinion he is the designated successor of Clément Turpin, it is already established in France and it is about to become so also on the European scene, says the old whistle. And for Turpin, on the other hand, I don’t know what to tell you (laughs)! He’s hanging on, we’ll say. »
The “little prince” of French refereeing has regularly been at the heart of controversies, not to mention a few scandals, since the start of the season. We remember in particular this obvious penalty forgotten for Nice in Lyon last February, which made the president of the Aiglons Jean-Pierre Rivère belch. But there is no need to go back that far to find traces ofa surprising decision to say the least. Lille have not forgotten this other penalty not whistled after a flagrant foul from behind by Monegasque Takumi Minamino on Tiago Santos in the penalty area, last Wednesday, in a match with high stakes for the two clubs in the race for victory. ‘Europe.
“We cannot deny that there have been a certain number of controversies, with sometimes very, very surprising decisions,” admits Bruno Derrien, who does not hide his incomprehension. But if he is nominated, it is good that he retains a certain credit on the European scene but we must admit that in Ligue 1, this year, it was still more complicated for him. »
Remember the last quarter-final
Upon learning of his appointment for their semi-final against Real Madrid, the Bavarian leaders must have wet their necks, remembering the quarter-final against Manchester City which had given rise to a number of questionable decisions on the part of Clément Turpin . The French referee notably whistled two penalties for very questionable hands and had an obvious impact on the turn of events, the fluidity of the game and the spirit of the game.
“If I had to give him a score, it would be 0, he got everything wrong from the first to the last minute,” declared Thomas Tuchel, red with anger, after the elimination of his team. “He will have a hard time doing worse than last time,” quipped Uli Hoeness, the former president of the club who is now honorary president, this time. His successor said “hope that Mr. Turpin just had a bad evening”.
Conclusion from Bruno Derrien: “UEFA carefully looks at the performances of the referees each weekend in their respective championship when choosing those it will appoint for the last major matches of the season and for competitions like the Euro. We could see this with Stéphanie Frappart, who was ultimately not selected for the Euro. Obviously his performances in the French championship cost him his selection. For Turpin, I have no rational explanation, other than that either UEFA is ignoring his domestic performances since the start of the season, or it seems to consider that Mr. Turpin is still at a high level. » It’s up to him to show this Tuesday evening that the second option is the right one.