Portugal dismisses speculation on referee

Portugal dismisses speculation on referee

Associated Press Alcochete, Portugal

The Portuguese camp dismissed talk that Markus Merk, the German referee named for the Euro 2004 final on Sunday, will be biased toward Greece because he is close to Greece's German coach Otto Rehhagel.

The two Germans are friends and Merk was the Rehhagel family dentist in Kaiserslautern. Rehhagel has said he's known Merk since the referee was 15 years old. The Portuguese daily sports paper Record published a front-page photo of Merk next to a large headline saying: "We've got our eye on you."

But Portugal coach Luiz Felipe Scolari dismissed the speculation and defended the integrity of Merk, who refereed a semifinal at Euro 2000 and the 2003 European Champions League final.

"I don't want this talk to continue," Scolari said in his characteristically blunt style.

"Let's put it aside and recognize the referee's worth. Friendship means nothing. Everyone will be doing their job," he said.

"If UEFA picked this referee for the final, it's because they trust him."

Fernando Couto, Portugal's most-capped player, backed up his coach.

"We're not concerned," Couto said. "The refereeing at this tournament has been great."

"I don't think we've got any reason to change the appointment," UEFA spokesman Rob Faulkner said.

"We're confident with the fact we have appointed the appropriate referee to take charge of the final." Faulkner said he did not know if UEFA was aware of the relationship before it named Merk to officiate the final game.