«Cleansing»… in the kingdom of Melo Pereira

Olympiacos FC’s spring passing from Toumba was hardly noticed because the prevailing conditions did not permit it.

It is yet another indication that Panathinaikos FC was administratively left to its own devices.

It is an organisation that does not react even when a mild-mannered character such as Federico Macheta becomes outraged, shouting in the locker room that, “I have never in my career come across a referee like Tzilos.”

Despite all that, “All those who on Sunday invested in football following the two opening derbies of the playoffs easily reached a well-known conclusion – that without referees the product of our country amounts to a minefield for those who oppose KED (theRefereeing Central Committee), the kingdom of Melo Pereira.

In Toumba yet another goal of Olympiacos FC was canceled in the 0-O match. Referee Tassos Papapetrou addressed the play with terror. He himself never went to see the screen and his initial assessment was probably right because after the headshot of Semedo     Whereas he spoke of a midfield issue, he essentially threw the ball to VAR and Tasos Sidiropoulos.

After Semedo’s headshot PAOK goalkeeper Alexandros Paschalakis intervened twice. The second time he stopped the ball with his hand, VAR never concerned itself with that detail.

It insisted on the “line” from the moment of Semedo’s headshot. In that play El-Arabi was little exposed and the rest of the story is well known.

In the same match, the leader of PAOK FC Andrei Vitarina saw a strong marking of Olympiacos FC leader Omar Elabdellaoui That was occasion for a red card in the first half (22 minutes) just a bit before the 0-1 result in Olympiacos’ favour.

In the same match PAOK’s leader Andre Vieirinha saw a very close marking of Olymicacos’ Omar Elabdellaoui go by. That was a play with a direct red card in the first half (22’), just before the 1-0 result in favour of Olympiacos.

It is known that Mr. Papapetrou’s wife works as journalist at Ivan Savvidis’ Open television.

It is also well known that the international referee was in KED’s “fridge” since 4 June, ever since PAOK’s first defeat in this year’s championship (4-2 by Aris). These things bring other things to light.

That was a great opportunity it to displace PAOK and take second place. It had to defeat a “problematic” Panathinaiokos FC.

In fact, it should celebrate the tie that resulted in that match.

Panathinaikos was clearly the better team. Referee Thanasis Tzilos (who was lionised at a PAOK celebration) did not give a clear penalty to Andreas Johansson in the first half.

He did not directly punish with a red card Eder Lopez’ strike against the Swedish defence player.

Meanwhile, a major discussion emerged about the tie goal against AEK, which took a point that it did not deserve and which put AEK in second place – with a 17-point distance from Olympiacos.

Many eagerly await the battle for the Champions League semi-final, the battle between the two teams that electrify Melo Pereira’s KED (refereeing central committee).

As everyone knows in the era of “cleansing” the Refereeing Central Committee seems to be serving two taskmasters – Dimitris Melissanidis and AEK FC and on the other hand Ivan Savvidis and PAOK FC.

These are the two “allies” that imposed the current management of the Greek football federation (EPO)but when they are in conflict they forget everything.

Who can forget the image of Ivan Savvidis armed with a gun “invading” the pitch in Toumba in the derby with AEK that determined the 2018 title.

The second place certainly opens a very interesting economic issue about the two two-headed eagle teams. But it does not cover their need to win a title that will change the terms of the season. That can now happen only through the Cup, where AEK is facing-off with ARIS in one semi-final and PAOK is facing off with Olympiacos.

Both matches were scheduled for 24 June and that means the “flights” will be free. Hence, Melo Pereira can again choose foreign referees which means the “flights” will be free and that the Greeks will not necessarily be able to play again.

The good news for him comes from the decision of France, The Netherlands, and Belgium not to continue their matches.

These are countries with international games who were entirelt “free” until the next season.

Will Pereira bring foreigners as he should to maintain appearances in the semi-finals? Will he allow AEK and PAOK to engage in a show of force so that for the fourth consecutive season both can be a pair in the cup final?

Theoretically the Portuguese head referee acts under the oversight of UEFA-FIFA and he cannot do otherwise as locum tenens Herbert Hubel and top advisor Petr Fousek and top confederation officials know very well what is going on in Greece.

Yes, indisputably everyone knows.

That includes Zoran Lacovic along with Marios Georgiou who came to Greece on behalf of UEFA in the much-touted January meeting with the owners of the Big Four, along with FIFA’s Luca Nicola.

Practically, however, all these people are fed up with dealing with Greek football, and that means that everything is up in the air.

Greek referees have long ago lost the “trust” of calm observers and on Sunday they reminded everyone of why.

It was the Sunday that one could not have foreigners, on which for the first time the VAR bolstered by the offside line operated with a 10-month delay.

In other words, God help us.