Çakir, a great choice for the Italy-Spain match
Turkish referee Cüneyt Çakir, an international whistler since 2003 and a candidate to take charge of the final of Euro 2016, is a great choice to take charge of Italy-Spain in the Euro 2016 round of 16 match today. He's an exception, coming as he does from a country where the football still hs some way to develop. But Çakir is an exception. He's a trusted referee who always controls the games he takes charge of well, because he knows how to let the play flow, he's flexible with his cards and he gets the big decisions spot-on.
During the Italy-Spain game there will be a lot of contact between the players and he'll need to have his wits about him for those game-changing moments. Though given the way the teams play there may not be too many of those.
Nowadays there are seven officials for each game. Back in my time (1990-90) there were just three for these games. But the results haven't changed much, because, as I see it, all the officials apart from the referee are there to be consulted, but no more. An example: the Ramos penalty against Croatia that Kuipers didn't demand be re-taken despite the keeper being a long way off his line. At the end of the day it's the referee who makes the big decisions. Çakir is a referee who tends to get them right.
Ildefonso Urizar Azpitarte was a top-flight referee from 1977 to 1991.