Massimo Busacca
Encyclopedia
Massimo Busacca is a Swiss
former football referee. He lives in Monte Carasso
, Ticino
, near Bellinzona, and is also the proprietor of a business.
Busacca used to play football in a lower division in Ticino
, then he worked for a petroleum company in the Middle East. He became a referee in 1990. He has been a referee in the Swiss Super League
since 1996, and a FIFA
referee since 1999.
in Germany
.
While refereeing a World Cup match between Ukraine
and Spain
, Busacca made a decision against Vladislav Vaschuk, giving the player a red card and awarding a penalty kick
against Ukraine in the 47th minute of the match. Multiple angles of the infraction showed no physical contact inside the penalty area, preceded by a tug on the pants of Fernando Torres
in the penalty area by Vladislav Vaschuk. David Villa
of Spain slotted home the resulting penalty against Ukrainian keeper Oleksandr Shovkovsky
. It is unlikely that the outcome of the match might have been altered as, before that penalty kick, Spain were up 2-0 and dominating the game both in possession and goal chances. In a similar situation involving Ukraine's Andriy Voronin
and the Spanish defence, the referee decided no foul had occurred.
In a later match in the 2006 FIFA World Cup, Busacca did not show the red card to Argentinian
defender Gabriel Heinze
after an errant throw by Argentinian goalkeeper Roberto Abbondanzieri
resulted in a breakaway by Mexican
striker Francisco Fonseca
and a subsequent foul by Heinze. Bussacca instead gave Heinze a yellow card.
Busacca was one of the twelve referees who remained in the play-off rounds from the quarter finals onwards.
match on the last day of the 2005-2006 season between FC Basel
and FC Zürich at St. Jakob Park in Basel
. Basel, who hadn't lost at home in the past 59 league matches at St. Jakob Park, only needed a draw to secure their fourth championship in five years. The game was still tied at the 90-minute mark, but at the end of the very last minute of stoppage time, Zürich defender Iulian Filipescu
scored the winning goal, immediately followed by Busacca's final whistle. At that point, many fans, mostly Basel fans, stormed the field. Basel supporters attacked Zürich players and fought with Zürich supporters. More trouble continued outside the park throughout the night.
at Hampden Park
on 16 May, one of the biggest appointments for a UEFA referee. Busacca sent off RCD Espanyol
midfielder Moisés Hurtado
for a second bookable offence during the match.
and Switzerland
.
At the tournament, Busacca was the referee for the:
in Rome on 27 May 2009 between FC Barcelona
and Manchester United
.
, refereeing the United States-Brazil match on 18 June 2009 in which Busacca showed Sacha Kljestan
a red card and Brazil went on to win 3-2.
between FC Baden
and BSC Young Boys
. After crowd trouble disrupted the game after home side Baden took an unlikely lead, Busacca raised his middle finger
to the crowd. Busacca had initially denied making the obscene gesture but was handed a three match ban by the Swiss Football Association
and was forced to issue an apology.
Several days after the incident Busacca was accused of urinating on the pitch whilst officiating a game in Qatar
.
and refereed the South Africa vs. Uruguay game.
He awarded a penalty and showed the red card to the South African goalkeeper, Itumeleng Khune
, in the 77th minute, for tripping the Uruguay striker, Luis Suárez
. South Africa went on to lose the game 3-0, and Khune became just the second goalkeeper to be sent off in World Cup history. South Africa boss Carlos Alberto Parreira
claimed that "Myself and everyone else said it was the worst referring performance in this competition so far". This proved to be Busacca's only match at the tournament, as he was released after the Round of 16.
and Arsenal
, with Arsenal taking a 2–1 lead into the match from the first leg.
In the 55th minute and with the score tied at 1–1, he issued a second yellow card to dismiss Arsenal's Robin van Persie
for time wasting. Van Persie had been cautioned for a foul in the first half; then, in the process of an attack in the second half, he was flagged offside but took a shot at goal after Busacca had blown his whistle signalling the offence. Van Persie claimed not to have heard the whistle over the noise of the crowd. Despite being within the rules of the game, the decision was heavily criticized by Arsene Wenger
and Arsenal players for sending off a player for such a perceived minor infraction. Some football critics also criticised the decision while Rio Ferdinand
praised Busacca as "the best around". Arsene Wenger and Samir Nasri
both were banned for one match by UEFA due to improper conduct following their criticism of Busacca after the match. Wenger was also fined €10,000.
, retiring from active refereeing duties in the process.
and was crowned Switzerland's non-smoker of the year in 2006.
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
former football referee. He lives in Monte Carasso
Monte Carasso
Monte Carasso is a municipality in the district of Bellinzona in the canton of Ticino in Switzerland.The Swiss Heritage Society chose Monte Carasso for the 1993 Wakker Prize.-History:Monte Carasso is first mentioned in 1348 as Monte Carassio...
, Ticino
Ticino
Canton Ticino or Ticino is the southernmost canton of Switzerland. Named after the Ticino river, it is the only canton in which Italian is the sole official language...
, near Bellinzona, and is also the proprietor of a business.
Busacca used to play football in a lower division in Ticino
Ticino
Canton Ticino or Ticino is the southernmost canton of Switzerland. Named after the Ticino river, it is the only canton in which Italian is the sole official language...
, then he worked for a petroleum company in the Middle East. He became a referee in 1990. He has been a referee in the Swiss Super League
Swiss Super League
The Swiss Super League or Axpo Super League is the top tier of the Swiss Football League. The Swiss Super League is currently ranked 16th according to UEFA's ranking of league coefficients, which is based upon Swiss team performances in European competitions.-Names:-Participating clubs:The teams...
since 1996, and a FIFA
FIFA
The Fédération Internationale de Football Association , commonly known by the acronym FIFA , is the international governing body of :association football, futsal and beach football. Its headquarters are located in Zurich, Switzerland, and its president is Sepp Blatter, who is in his fourth...
referee since 1999.
2006 FIFA World Cup
Busacca was chosen to be a referee at the 2006 FIFA World Cup2006 FIFA World Cup
The 2006 FIFA World Cup was the 18th FIFA World Cup, the quadrennial international football world championship tournament. It was held from 9 June to 9 July 2006 in Germany, which won the right to host the event in July 2000. Teams representing 198 national football associations from all six...
in Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
.
While refereeing a World Cup match between Ukraine
Ukraine national football team
The Ukraine national football team is the national football team of Ukraine and is controlled by the Football Federation of Ukraine. After Ukrainian Independence and breakaway from the Soviet Union, they played their first match against Hungary on 29 April 1992...
and Spain
Spain national football team
The Spain national football team represents Spain in international association football and is controlled by the Royal Spanish Football Federation, the governing body for football in Spain. The current head coach is Vicente del Bosque...
, Busacca made a decision against Vladislav Vaschuk, giving the player a red card and awarding a penalty kick
Penalty kick
A penalty kick is a type of direct free kick in association football, taken from twelve yards out from goal and with only the goalkeeper of the defending team between the penalty taker and the goal.Penalty kicks are performed during normal play...
against Ukraine in the 47th minute of the match. Multiple angles of the infraction showed no physical contact inside the penalty area, preceded by a tug on the pants of Fernando Torres
Fernando Torres
Fernando José Torres Sanz , nicknamed , is a Spanish footballer who plays for Chelsea and the Spain national team as a striker....
in the penalty area by Vladislav Vaschuk. David Villa
David Villa
David Villa Sánchez , nicknamed , is a Spanish footballer who currently plays as a striker for FC Barcelona and the Spanish national football team. He can also operate as a winger....
of Spain slotted home the resulting penalty against Ukrainian keeper Oleksandr Shovkovsky
Oleksandr Shovkovsky
Oleksandr Volodymyrovych Shovkovskiy is a Ukrainian footballer who plays as a goalkeeper. He has played for Dynamo Kyiv in the Vyscha Liha the top level of Ukrainian football, since 1993.-Club career:...
. It is unlikely that the outcome of the match might have been altered as, before that penalty kick, Spain were up 2-0 and dominating the game both in possession and goal chances. In a similar situation involving Ukraine's Andriy Voronin
Andriy Voronin
Andriy Viktorovych Voronin is a Ukrainian professional footballer who currently plays as a striker for Dynamo Moscow. His previous clubs include Chornomorets Odessa, Borussia Mönchengladbach, Mainz, Köln, Bayer Leverkusen, and Liverpool. In the 2002–03 season, Voronin became top goalscorer in the...
and the Spanish defence, the referee decided no foul had occurred.
In a later match in the 2006 FIFA World Cup, Busacca did not show the red card to Argentinian
Argentina national football team
The Argentina national football team represents Argentina in association football and is controlled by the Argentine Football Association , the governing body for football in Argentina. Argentina's home stadium is Estadio Monumental Antonio Vespucio Liberti and their head coach is Alejandro...
defender Gabriel Heinze
Gabriel Heinze
Gabriel Iván Heinze is an Argentine footballer who plays for A.S. Roma in Italy. Mainly a left back, he can also operate as a central defender....
after an errant throw by Argentinian goalkeeper Roberto Abbondanzieri
Roberto Abbondanzieri
Roberto Carlos "Pato" Abbondanzieri is an Argentine former football goalkeeper who had a successful career at Boca Juniors.- Club career :...
resulted in a breakaway by Mexican
Mexico national football team
The Mexican national football team represents Mexico in association football and is governed by the Mexican Football Federation , the governing body for football in Mexico. Mexico's home stadium is the Estadio Azteca and their head coach is José Manuel de la Torre...
striker Francisco Fonseca
Francisco Fonseca
José Francisco "Kikin" Fonseca Guzmán is a Mexican football striker. He currently plays for Atlante F.C..-Career:...
and a subsequent foul by Heinze. Bussacca instead gave Heinze a yellow card.
Busacca was one of the twelve referees who remained in the play-off rounds from the quarter finals onwards.
2006 Basel hooligan incident
Busacca refereed an infamous Swiss Super LeagueSwiss Super League
The Swiss Super League or Axpo Super League is the top tier of the Swiss Football League. The Swiss Super League is currently ranked 16th according to UEFA's ranking of league coefficients, which is based upon Swiss team performances in European competitions.-Names:-Participating clubs:The teams...
match on the last day of the 2005-2006 season between FC Basel
FC Basel
Fussball Club Basel 1893, widely known as FC Basel is a Swiss football club based in Basel. They are one of the most successful clubs in Swiss football, having won the Swiss Super League 14 times, the third most for any Swiss club. They were most successful in the late 1960s and 1970s, winning the...
and FC Zürich at St. Jakob Park in Basel
Basel
Basel or Basle In the national languages of Switzerland the city is also known as Bâle , Basilea and Basilea is Switzerland's third most populous city with about 166,000 inhabitants. Located where the Swiss, French and German borders meet, Basel also has suburbs in France and Germany...
. Basel, who hadn't lost at home in the past 59 league matches at St. Jakob Park, only needed a draw to secure their fourth championship in five years. The game was still tied at the 90-minute mark, but at the end of the very last minute of stoppage time, Zürich defender Iulian Filipescu
Iulian Filipescu
Iulian Sebastian Filipescu is a former Romanian footballer, who was born in Slatina, Romania. He was a centre back or defensive midfielder who possessed strength and tough tackling as well as being dead ball specialist. A fluent passer and he also possesses good technique. He debuted in Divizia A...
scored the winning goal, immediately followed by Busacca's final whistle. At that point, many fans, mostly Basel fans, stormed the field. Basel supporters attacked Zürich players and fought with Zürich supporters. More trouble continued outside the park throughout the night.
2007 UEFA Cup Final
Busacca took charge of the 2007 UEFA Cup Final2007 UEFA Cup Final
-Match statistics:*-See also:*2006–07 UEFA Cup*UEFA Intertoto Cup*2007 UEFA Champions League Final...
at Hampden Park
Hampden Park
Hampden Park is a football stadium in the Mount Florida area of Glasgow, Scotland. The 52,063 capacity venue serves as the national stadium of football in Scotland...
on 16 May, one of the biggest appointments for a UEFA referee. Busacca sent off RCD Espanyol
RCD Espanyol
Reial Club Deportiu Espanyol de Barcelona is a sports club based in Barcelona, Spain. It is best known for its football team. Espanyol currently play in the Estadi Cornellà-El Prat with seats for 40,500 spectators. It was inaugurated on 2 August 2009...
midfielder Moisés Hurtado
Moisés Hurtado
Moisés Hurtado Pérez is a Spanish footballer who plays for Granada CF as a defensive midfielder....
for a second bookable offence during the match.
UEFA Euro 2008
Busacca was selected to referee at the UEFA Euro 2008 tournament in AustriaAustria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
and Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
.
At the tournament, Busacca was the referee for the:
- Group C game between NetherlandsNetherlandsThe Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
and RomaniaRomaniaRomania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...
. - Group D game between GreeceGreeceGreece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
and SwedenSwedenSweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
. - Semi Final match between GermanyGermanyGermany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
and TurkeyTurkeyTurkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
.
2009 UEFA Champions League Final
Busacca was selected to referee the UEFA Champions League Final2009 UEFA Champions League Final
The 2009 UEFA Champions League Final was played on 27 May 2009 at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome, Italy. The match determined the winners of the 2008–09 season of the UEFA Champions League, a tournament for the top football clubs in Europe. The match was won by Barcelona of Spain, who beat England's...
in Rome on 27 May 2009 between FC Barcelona
FC Barcelona
Futbol Club Barcelona , also known as Barcelona and familiarly as Barça, is a professional football club, based in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain....
and Manchester United
Manchester United F.C.
Manchester United Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Old Trafford, Greater Manchester, that plays in the Premier League. Founded as Newton Heath LYR Football Club in 1878, the club changed its name to Manchester United in 1902 and moved to Old Trafford in 1910.The 1958...
.
2009 FIFA Confederations Cup
He was chosen as a referee for the 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup2009 FIFA Confederations Cup
The 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup was the eighth Confederations Cup, and was held in South Africa from 14 June to 28 June 2009 as a prelude to the 2010 FIFA World Cup. The draw was held on 22 November 2008 at the Sandton Convention Centre in Johannesburg. The opening match was played at Ellis Park...
, refereeing the United States-Brazil match on 18 June 2009 in which Busacca showed Sacha Kljestan
Sacha Kljestan
Sacha Kljestan is an American soccer player who currently plays for Anderlecht in the Belgian First Division.-Youth and College:...
a red card and Brazil went on to win 3-2.
FC Baden v Young Boys Incident
On 19 September 2009, Busacca was the referee in a Swiss Cup match2009–10 Swiss Cup
The 2009–10 Swiss Cup was the 85th season of Switzerland's annual football cup competition. It began on 17 September with the first game of Round 1 and ended on 9 May 2010 with the Final held at St. Jakob-Park, Basel. The competition was won by FC Basel, who defeated second-level side...
between FC Baden
FC Baden
FC Baden is a Swiss football club based in Baden, Canton Aargau which is a short distance from Zürich. It was founded in 1897. FC Baden has a total of 22 different teams at age levels, including 5 women's teams. They currently play in the Swiss 1. Liga, the third tier of Swiss...
and BSC Young Boys
BSC Young Boys
Berner Sport Club Young Boys 1898 is a Swiss sporting club based in the capital city of Bern. The name is often abbreviated to YB . Abroad, YB is often referred to as Young Boys Bern. The club's colors are yellow and black....
. After crowd trouble disrupted the game after home side Baden took an unlikely lead, Busacca raised his middle finger
Finger (gesture)
In Western culture, the finger , also known as the middle finger, is an obscene hand gesture, often meaning the phrases "fuck off" , "fuck you" or "up yours"...
to the crowd. Busacca had initially denied making the obscene gesture but was handed a three match ban by the Swiss Football Association
Swiss Football Association
The Swiss Football Association is the governing body of football in Switzerland. It organizes the football league, the Swiss Football League, and the Switzerland national football team. It is based in Bern....
and was forced to issue an apology.
Several days after the incident Busacca was accused of urinating on the pitch whilst officiating a game in Qatar
Qatar
Qatar , also known as the State of Qatar or locally Dawlat Qaṭar, is a sovereign Arab state, located in the Middle East, occupying the small Qatar Peninsula on the northeasterly coast of the much larger Arabian Peninsula. Its sole land border is with Saudi Arabia to the south, with the rest of its...
.
2010 FIFA World Cup
He was selected as a referee for the 2010 FIFA World Cup2010 FIFA World Cup
The 2010 FIFA World Cup was the 19th FIFA World Cup, the world championship for men's national association football teams. It took place in South Africa from 11 June to 11 July 2010...
and refereed the South Africa vs. Uruguay game.
He awarded a penalty and showed the red card to the South African goalkeeper, Itumeleng Khune
Itumeleng Khune
Itumeleng Khune is a South African footballer. He currently plays as a goalkeeper for Kaizer Chiefs in the Premier Soccer League, as well as the South African national team. He has the nickname: "The Koon"...
, in the 77th minute, for tripping the Uruguay striker, Luis Suárez
Luis Suárez (Uruguayan footballer)
Luis Alberto Suárez Díaz , commonly known as Luis Suárez and nicknamed "El Pistolero" , is a Uruguayan footballer who plays for Liverpool and the Uruguayan national team...
. South Africa went on to lose the game 3-0, and Khune became just the second goalkeeper to be sent off in World Cup history. South Africa boss Carlos Alberto Parreira
Carlos Alberto Parreira
Carlos Alberto Gomes Parreira is a Brazilian former football manager. He managed Brazil to championships at the 1994 World Cup, the 2004 Copa América, and the 2005 Confederations Cup...
claimed that "Myself and everyone else said it was the worst referring performance in this competition so far". This proved to be Busacca's only match at the tournament, as he was released after the Round of 16.
2010–11 UEFA Champions League, Barcelona vs Arsenal
In the 2010–11 UEFA Champions League tournament, Busacca was appointed to referee the second leg of the round-of-16 tie between BarcelonaFC Barcelona
Futbol Club Barcelona , also known as Barcelona and familiarly as Barça, is a professional football club, based in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain....
and Arsenal
Arsenal F.C.
Arsenal Football Club is a professional English Premier League football club based in North London. One of the most successful clubs in English football, it has won 13 First Division and Premier League titles and 10 FA Cups...
, with Arsenal taking a 2–1 lead into the match from the first leg.
In the 55th minute and with the score tied at 1–1, he issued a second yellow card to dismiss Arsenal's Robin van Persie
Robin van Persie
Robin van Persie is a Dutch footballer who plays as a striker for Arsenal and the Dutch national team. He is a youth product of Feyenoord. Having joined Arsenal in 2004, Van Persie became the club captain on 16 August 2011...
for time wasting. Van Persie had been cautioned for a foul in the first half; then, in the process of an attack in the second half, he was flagged offside but took a shot at goal after Busacca had blown his whistle signalling the offence. Van Persie claimed not to have heard the whistle over the noise of the crowd. Despite being within the rules of the game, the decision was heavily criticized by Arsene Wenger
Arsène Wenger
Arsène Wenger, OBE is a French association football manager and former player, who has managed English Premier League side Arsenal since 1996...
and Arsenal players for sending off a player for such a perceived minor infraction. Some football critics also criticised the decision while Rio Ferdinand
Rio Ferdinand
Rio Gavin Ferdinand is an English footballer. He plays at centre back for Manchester United in the Premier League and for the England national football team...
praised Busacca as "the best around". Arsene Wenger and Samir Nasri
Samir Nasri
Samir Nasri is a French international footballer who plays for English club Manchester City in the Premier League and the France national team. He primarily plays as an attacking midfielder and a winger, although he has also been deployed in central midfield. Nasri is known for his technical...
both were banned for one match by UEFA due to improper conduct following their criticism of Busacca after the match. Wenger was also fined €10,000.
2010-11 Cypriot Cup Final
2010–11 Cypriot Cup#FinalRetirement and subsequent ventures
It was announced on 14 July 2011 that Busacca had taken up the position of Head of Refereeing Development with FIFAFIFA
The Fédération Internationale de Football Association , commonly known by the acronym FIFA , is the international governing body of :association football, futsal and beach football. Its headquarters are located in Zurich, Switzerland, and its president is Sepp Blatter, who is in his fourth...
, retiring from active refereeing duties in the process.
Personal life
Busacca is a devout CatholicCatholic
The word catholic comes from the Greek phrase , meaning "on the whole," "according to the whole" or "in general", and is a combination of the Greek words meaning "about" and meaning "whole"...
and was crowned Switzerland's non-smoker of the year in 2006.