One of the images that gave the most to talk about Manchester City-Dortmund did not happen precisely on the pitch. In the changing room tunnel, Octavian Sovre, one of the match's assistant referees, asked Erling Haaland to sign the cards. The action was widely commented because it was considered a lack of professionalism and the UEFA chief referee Roberto Rosetti sent an email to the referees asking that they behave in “a dignified and professional manner”.
This has not been the only consequence of the incident, but as reported sport.ro, Romanian Referee Commission has suspended Octavian Sovre for his next match, in which he was once again part of Ovidiu Hategan's team in the clash between CFR Cruj and Universitatea Craiova.
In an interview for the same medium, the referee stated that it was not the first time that he had asked for the cards to be signed and that I was doing it for a charitable cause, explaining that those signed by the Norwegian will go to raise funds for a support organization for people with autism. Despite this, he has not escaped the sanction of the Romanian commission, although for the moment he has not received any from UEFA.
Curiously, a Hategan assistant is again embroiled in controversy after the Racist event that Sebastian Coltescu starred in with Webó, Basaksehir's second coach in the match against PSG.