Tonight there will be a reunion at Netherlands-Argentina of the quarterfinals of Qatar World Cup. It treats the novel face-to-face between the Argentinian Leo Messi and the Spanish college Mateu Lahoz. A tender relationship but one with very particular moments. It happened on November 29, 2020 on the occasion of a Barça-Osasunwhich was contested at the Camp Nou.
The match took place just four days after the traumatic death of Argentine star and Leo Messi leader Diego Armando Maradona. The Barça team clearly beat Navarrese 4-0. A winner that Leo Messi closed in 73 minutes. Messi, taking advantage of this goal, took off his shirt to reveal another one from Pelusa during his time at Newell’s. Mateu Lahoz punished that with a yellow card and the Valencia referee took it in the arbitration report:
“In minute 73 the player (10) Messi Cuccittini, Lionel Andres was booked for the following reason: For removing his shirt, after scoring a goal, showing the new Newell’s Old Boys team shirt, from in the 93/94 season , with bib number 10 on his back”.
A reprimand presented by Mateu Lahoz complies with the existing criteria in the Disciplinary Code of the RFEF. On December 2, 2020, the Competition Committee punished Leo de Messi’s actions with a yellow card and a fine of 601 euros. The lowest level within the serious. The Barça club was also fined 350 euros. The Appeals Committee dismissed the appeal filed by the Barça team for the fine and the card of the Argentine.
Tonight they meet again in the quarterfinals of this World Cup and where Leo Messi is looking to win a World Cup date. The only thing left for him to achieve to match his idol and Argentine soccer that achieved the 1986 World Cup in Mexico with his historic goal against England and the ‘Hand of God’.
A historic appointment for the Valencian referee
This Netherlands-Argentina is historic for Mateu Lahoz in his extensive arbitration career. There are several reasons. First, because tonight is the first time he whistles for the quarterfinals of a World Cup because in the previous meeting he only directed matches in the group stage. But it was also his fifth game in a World Cup event, making him Spain’s second referee with the most matches in a World Cup. Two four years ago and three currently. Above Mateu there is only Juan Gardeazábal who attended three World Cups: 1958, 1962 and 1966.
In his first meeting in Sweden, he whistled two games: France 7 Paraguay 3 in the group stage and France 4 Northern Ireland 0 in the quarterfinals. He was also an assistant for three other games, including the final in which Brazil defeated Sweden. In Chile 1962, he directed three games, including the third place between Chile and Yugoslavia. In addition to acting as an assistant to another. At England 1966 he whistled two games for the Soviet Union, one of which was a 2–1 defeat of Hungary in the quarterfinals, and he was an assistant in the other two games.
There are two matches that Mateu Lahoz has called so far in Qatar. United States-Iran in addition to Qatar-Senegal. In total, the Spaniard will add eight matches tonight to his arbitration career: five as a referee (three in Qatar and two in Russia) and three more as the fourth referee in 2018. The historic Gardeazábal has just surpassed the records.
His World Cup debut was on 21 June 2018 in the Denmark-Australia match which ended in a draw to one. Five days later, he officiated his second game as the main referee in Russia: Iceland 1 Croatia 2. But Mateu Lahoz’s role did not end there as the Valencian stayed on for three games where he played as the fourth referee. It will also be Croatia-Nigeria in the group stage with Brazil-Mexico in the round of 16 and Sweden-England in the quarterfinals.
Source: La Verdad
I’m Rose Herman and I work as an author for Today Times Live. My expertise lies in writing about sports, a passion of mine that has been with me since childhood. As part of my job, I provide comprehensive coverage on everything from football to tennis to golf.
