Entire team disqualified after angry player chases and pushes over ref in China.

UEFA has taken another positive step towards eradicating in-stadium racism and racist chanting that has been plaguing European Football Stadiums by giving Referees and Match Officials new guidelines, including the power to abandon matches.

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Was there ever any doubt from the opening Yellow Card shown to Landon Donovan that Uruguayan referee Jorge Larrionda was going to put his stamp on this SemiFinal matchup between the United States and Spain?

As far as the Red Card shown to Michael Bradely (who alongside Ricardo Clark was fantastic once again), no chance. Three Red Cards in four matches in which only one you could make an argument for.

Now the United States heads into the 2009 Confederation Cup Finals without one of their best players once again without hearing the explanation for the sending off, which will probably be termed “Violent Conduct” when Larrionda turns in his report.

If that does happen, please re-visit that David Villa elbow….

Image via Bp

Guess who’s running the center for today’s United States vs Spain - 2009 Confederations Cup SemiFinal match?

Uruguayan referee Jorge Larrionda, the same man who was in the middle for the 2006 World Cup clash between the US and Italy.

Image via SoccerWay 

UEFA President Michel Platini has confirmed the long standing rumor that there will be two more referee’s added to the upcoming 2009 / 10 UEFA Europa League following approval of the FIFA Executive Committee and Football’s lawmakers, the International FA Board (IFAB), at their meeting in Nassau, Bahamas.

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The man given the honor of holding the whistle for tonight’s Champions League Final in Rome between Manchester United and Barcelona will be 40 year old Swiss Referee Massimo Busacca, a man was in charge of the first leg of last years Semi - Final.

Very interesting Q & A after the Jump with the man in charge 

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Paul Tamberino and Brian Hall talking up and coming referees.

With the 45 year old Spaniard set to step down from the world stage, tonight’s UEFA Cup Final match up between Ukrainian side FC Shakhtar Donetsk and the Bundesliga’s Werder Bremen at the Sükrü ?araco?lu Stadium will mark the final International match Luis Medina Cantalejo will be in charge of.

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