Danny Makkelie recently decided to end the collaboration with assistant referee Mario Diks. The rejected goal by Cristiano Ronaldo in the World Cup qualifying match between Portugal and Serbia (2-2), where the ball seemed to be clearly over the line, seems to be the reason for the break, although Makkelie does not want to confirm this definitively. The reason for kicking Diks out of his team came the referee to quite a bit of criticism, something he tries to let go of.
“To be honest, I tried not to follow it like that,” Makkelie admits in an interview with Football International. “From the outside, people look at it differently, people do not know what is going on. I have decided not to say anything about it. I get reactions that it is good to be above it. That is also showing leadership, not the dirty laundry outside. hang “, the Dutch top arbitrator analyzes the process surrounding the removal of Diks. Makkelie also wants to prevent his former assistant referee from being damaged by the whole situation.
Ronaldo is furious! ?? Drama in the absolute closing stages of Serbia – Portugal, where Cristiano Ronaldo does not get a goal as there is no goal-line technology ?? Ronaldo throws his captain’s armband on the ground and furiously dives into the catacomb ??#ZiggoSport #WCQ #SRBPOR pic.twitter.com/j2IqsT2kAT
– Ziggo Sport Football (@ZS_Voetbal) March 27, 2021
“If you say something about it, it will lead a life of its own. We have agreed not to say anything about it, I would like to stick to that”, said Makkelie, who appointed Jan de Vries as successor to Diks. The referee, who will be the referee on Tuesday evening between Real Madrid and Chelsea in the Champions League, will now focus entirely on the European Championship. “The most important thing is that as a team we have received the nomination for the European Championship. The team has not changed either. We just made a change, it is not all suddenly different. We have complete confidence in each other.”
In any case, it will be exciting months for Makkelie, who will make his debut at a major tournament this summer. He’s just having everything come to him in the coming weeks. “I am a rookie, although we have now also whistled a lot in Europe. The most important thing is to make a good impression.” Makkelie also hopes that Björn Kuipers, the only other Dutch referee at the European Championship, will receive a worthy farewell as a top arbiter. “It would be nice for Björn that he might say goodbye with a final. That does not just happen and is not a matter of getting it, you will have to perform. But I really wish him. He just deserves that, he has a resume. to say to you. “