April 7, 2022 - Could Croatian First League foreign referees take the pitch already next season? A closer look. 

The idea of ​​foreign referees in the Croatian First League (HNL) is gaining more attention. Head of the Croatian Refereeing Commission Bruno Marić confirmed in Croatian media earlier this week that foreign referees in Croatia could become a reality as early as next season. 

"This is still not a topic we want to publish in detail. At HNS, we are working together to conclude business cooperation with some of the foreign federations, which would include the exchange of refs," Marić told Slobodna Dalmacija. 

And this wouldn't put any Croatian referees out of work, but rather exchange them.

"It would be exclusively about an exchange, and not about foreign refs coming to ref in our country," Marić underlined.

Marić was a guest on the same topic on Dnevnik Nova TV, where he emphasized that the idea could be realized as early as next season, because in the current season it is technically impossible.

"We will look for countries with a similar profile. I would not like to speculate now on which refs are in question," Marić told Dnevnik Nova TV.

As Ivan Forjan has learned for Gol.hr, very serious names in the reffing world are among the options.

Namely, Gol.hr reports that the first picks would definitely be Slovenian judges. Among them is one of UEFA's elite category refs, Slavko Vinčić. Romanian Ovidiu Hategan, also of elite UEFA status, is too in the spotlight. Along with them, referees from Austria, Hungary, and Israel would also be an option. 

A little over two weeks ago, Osijek coach Nenad Bjelica made his point clear about this topic. 

"Exchanging referees with other countries would also be good because you are taking the pressure off your domestic referees and why not bring quality refs from the countries around us?" Bjelica wondered.

Rijeka also liked this idea:

"The refereeing commission is an independent body and has full confidence in its work. If the refereeing commission evaluates and decides on some changes, as well as the introduction of foreign referees for certain matches, HNK Rijeka will support it. The most important thing is that and at a high level."

Dinamo, on the other hand, is quite restrained:

"GNK Dinamo welcomes all efforts aimed at the development of Croatian football, and in relation to the specific inquiry, we express our belief that the HNS and the referee commission will know how to make the best decisions."

Gol.hr did not reach Hajduk's position on this idea yet, though a few years ago, they expressed the desire for foreign refs in the HNL.

Engagements of foreign referees in other European leagues are not uncommon. For example, Ivan Bebek last year refereed the big Greek derby between Olympiacos and Panathinaikos.

Interestingly, a foreign ref would cost as much as a domestic one - or 2,800 kuna per match, with, of course, the addition of travel expenses.

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September 28, 2021 - The referees in the 11th round of the Croatian First League have been announced, which does not include Mario Zebec and Ivan Bebek, two of Croatia's most famous referees who HNS has reprimanded for several blunders in the 10th round. 

24 Sata reports that several reffing mistakes marked the 10th round of the Croatian First League, and HNS has taken action with consequences for individual referees. 

The names of the referees in the 11th round have been announced, but the list does not include Mario Zebec and Ivan Bebek, who were chastised in the last round for numerous errors and poor judgment. 

This can be understood as a kind of punishment by the Croatian Football Federation for Zebec and Bebek, as a way to help the Croatian referees learn from their mistakes. There have been many objections around Croatia from various refereeing and football experts in recent days, forcing the two already infamous refs to cool off, at least as far as the next round is concerned.

Zebec was the center of attention after not awarding a blatant penalty for Gorica against Rijeka (3:4). In the 93rd minute, Štefulj stepped on Dvorneković in the penalty area, which Zebec did not find suspicious. He got a second chance after communicating with Fran Jović from the VAR room, but even after reviewing the video, Zebec did not call a penalty. 

In addition, according to referee expert Mario Strahonja, he should have repeated Rijeka's penalty because a player entered the penalty area too early, and he failed to show a red card to Rijeka's Krešić.

Ivan Bebek, on the other hand, led the match between Hajduk and Lokomotiva at Poljud. Bebek had numerous conversations with players and coaches with the desire to show his authority, and at the beginning of the match, he missed a blatant penalty for Hajduk. De Haas tripped Marko Livaja in the penalty area, but there was no penalty for Bebek. He didn’t even bother consulting VAR, which provoked a fierce protest from Livaja, who eventually earned a yellow card. 

"The tripping is not intentional or of great intensity, but the criterion of the probable situation is the one for which it was a penalty kick. The Lokomotiva player disrupted the opponent's coordination and movement," said Mario Strahonja.

The 11th round between Osijek and Hajduk (Sunday, 7:30 pm) will be reffed by Igor Pajač and the match between Šibenik and Gorica on Friday by Tihomir Pejin. Duje Strukan will lead Lokomotiva and Slaven Belupo, and Andrej Burilo from Osijek will ref Dinamo and Hrvatski Dragovoljac on Sunday. Fran Jović will referee the derby between Rijeka and Istria on Saturday.

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