Premier League referee Anthony Taylor has reportedly returned home from Euro 2024, as he is not expecting to officiate the final in Berlin on Sunday, regardless of England’s involvement.
Anthony Taylor was the talking point when Spain knocked out host country Germany in the quarter-finals.
Taylor was in charge of the match in Cologne where Mikel Merino’s dramatic 119th-minute header secured a thrilling 2-1 victory for Spain. Dani Olmo, an early substitute, put Spain ahead before Florian Wirtz breathed life back into Germany with a last-minute equalizer during regular time.
However, Germany believed they should have had a chance to take the lead from the penalty spot during extra time. Jamal Musiala fired a shot from the edge of the box that hit Marc Cucurella’s hand.
Marc Cucurella blocks a shot with the hand during the UEFA Euro 2024 quarter-final football match between Spain and Germany (Photo by THOMAS KIENZLE / AFP) (Photo by THOMAS KIENZLE/AFP via Getty Images)
Despite numerous appeals from Germany, Taylor dismissed these appeals, ruling that Cucurella’s arm was in a natural position, low and close to his body. UEFA later quelled the intense backlash against Taylor, supporting the 45 year old’s decision to dismiss the penalty calls.
According to The Mail, over 32,000 irate fans signed a petition demanding Taylor be penalized for his perceived error and calling for the quarter-final match to be replayed. German media also reported that he ‘fled the scene’ after the match, which only fueled the significant online abuse directed at him.
It’s unlikely that Taylor will officiate another match at Euro 2024, having returned to England recently. The slim possibility of being called up for Sunday’s highly anticipated final in Berlin led him to make the decision to return home.
Although no decision has been made yet, Italy’s Daniele Orsato, who refereed England’s quarter-final win over Switzerland, is a potential candidate to officiate the final. The 48-year-old has experience with big matches, having refereed the 2020 Champions League final between Bayern Munich and Paris Saint-Germain.
Poland’s Szymon Marciniak is also a strong contender, having officiated the 2022 World Cup final between France and Argentina.
