Referees enter training camp ahead of Tricolor’s crucial Carioca semi-final | OneFootball

The referee teams responsible for conducting the semifinals of the Campeonato Carioca will experience a different routine before the ball starts rolling. The professionals will enter a confinement regime on the eve of the match between Vasco and Fluminense, as well as for the clash between Flamengo and Madureira.

In total, 22 officials — divided into 11 for each match, including field referees, the VAR team, instructors, and managers — reported on Saturday morning to the Training Center of the Football Players’ Union of the State of Rio de Janeiro (Saferj), located in Guaratiba, in the West Zone. The group will remain at the site until early Sunday afternoon, from where they will head directly to the stadiums. The Tricolor’s classic against the Cruz-Maltino is scheduled for 6:00 PM at Nilton Santos, while the other match in the bracket will take place at 8:30 PM at Maracanã.

Jorge Rabello, technical coordinator of DEAF-RJ, explained the measure and emphasized the pursuit of standardized decisions at this crucial moment of the tournament:

— The Football Federation of the State of Rio de Janeiro, as part of its investment, education, and continuous preparation program, will concentrate the referee teams for the semifinal and final matches of the Campeonato Carioca at SAFERJ, the Athletes’ Training Center. I believe our concentration is of fundamental importance. We will have a defined schedule with the aim of aligning criteria, seeking to deliver excellence in these decisive matches.

During the isolation period in Guaratiba, the referees’ schedule will include various technical and physical activities, such as: activation exercises focused on decision-making; mobility and balance practices; video study based on FIFA concepts; alignment regarding the VAR protocol and intervention lines; as well as specific tactical meetings for the matches.

It is worth noting that Rio de Janeiro was the pioneering state in this model of referee preparation in the country, starting the practice in 2009 and maintaining it in recent seasons. Ferj confirmed that the concentration strategy will be repeated for the return matches the following weekend, and will also precede the grand final of the State Championship, scheduled for March 7 or 8.

Photo: Urbano Erbiste / FERJ

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