Wednesday, 20 May 2026

2025/26 UEFA Europa League final Freiburg (GER) - Aston Villa (ENG) - Referee François Letexier (FRA) - Discussion

François Letexier in charge of Europa League final, his third European major final after UEFA Supercup in 2023 and EURO 2024. Good luck to the officiating team! 



20 May 2026, 21:00 CET - Istanbul, TUR (Beşiktaş Park)
SC FREIBURG (GER) - ASTON VILLA FC (ENG)
Referee: François Letexier FRA
Assistant Referee 1: Cyril Mugnier FRA
Assistant Referee 2: Mehdi Rahmouni FRA
Fourth Official: Alejandro José Hernández Hernández ESP
Reserve Assistant Referee: José Enrique Naranjo Pérez ESP 
Video Assistant Referee: Jérôme Brisard FRA
Assistant Video Assistant Referee: Willy Delajod FRA
Video Assistant Referee Support: Dennis Johan Higler NED
UEFA Referee Observer: Roberto Rosetti ITA 
UEFA Delegate: Alexandr Keplin KAZ

23 comments:

  1. Good luck to officiating team tonight! It will be intense!

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  2. Good early YC, clear decision.

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  3. One more correct yellow card issued to Buendia!

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    1. Don't think its even a foul,

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    2. Yeah he only tried to decapitate him with one arm. Clear YC

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  4. And one more correct yellow card to Cash!

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  5. Replies
    1. A sending-off would certainly have been supported by the VAR; nevertheless, I dare say we cannot conclude that the caution was a clear error, the the contact is initially with the ball, and then with the opponent’s foot, before finally, eventually, making contact with the shin.

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  6. First YC: correct, no doubt.
    Second YC: opponent exaggerated contact, as we know it's always done, but correct decision by French referee.
    Third YC: maybe even more than YC...
    So far a game in which we haven't seen, thank goodness, a "final approach" by the referee.

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    Replies
    1. The third YC Letexier gave was because of Cash’s reaction, not because of the foul itself, from what I saw… the foul itself was at the very least a YC

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  7. The fact that Cash is playing the ball first and that there is. I pressure on the leg is saving him otherwise it would have been a clear RC.

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  8. Certainly high end YC. The block lacked intensity and impact so VAR won’t get involved

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  9. OT:

    Very challenging last couple of minutes for Marcenaro in Palermo vs Catanzaro match where Palermo neede one more goal.

    Just to sumarize added time,+6 was added time;

    90+3 RC,atleast minute or 2 were lost
    90+5 kicking the ball away YC
    90+5 delaying restart,YC

    Time when all ended-96:00.

    Conclusion-be dirty,get YC's and do timewasting as much as possible,atleast in Italy.

    I thought Siebert time management in Arsenal vs Atletico was the worst .

    Marcenaro overtook him with turbo engine.

    Game was also very tense, he had things under control when result was under control.

    When Palermo scored 2nd,everything fell apart.

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    Replies
    1. Well, I had watched only first half due to EL final.
      Indeed it had been very good performance when still 1-0, with some correct calls like a free kick and YC outside the box.
      Now I will watch the very last minutes...

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    2. I mean correct RC,foul from the back through the player.

      But time management and with his decisions irritating players who were alre on the edge.

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    3. After watching, I can say that it was a definitely good Marcenaro in terms of crucial decisions and braveness, something that can allow us to think he has improved after rather very poor times, but indeed the management of added time was unacceptable. He whistled the end a few second after 96:00, at least 1 minute and half if not 2 were wasted by players. Unfortunately, some referees don't pay any attention to that. No guidelines by committee, and in the end one should agree with Collina and his fight against time wasting, it's unacceptable that a team can do what they want.
      Maybe there could be a middle way between not caring at all and giving 10 minutes or more, like FIFA competitions, but many referees, I repeat again, don't want to be worried about that.

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  10. The ball has rolled kindly for Letexier this evening. Its been an excellent display.

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    1. Very easy game for the French referee, that's also a factor in a referee's career, you can be lucky by getting such a game in a final and nothing will be discussed.
      Letexier gave an early signal with the cards in first half, but nothing more than that, no crucial incidents, controversial situations, a team definitely weaker than the other.
      It is said that a match without the referee attracting attention on him is the best. One could agree, but I think it is better to say that a game with a good officiating and correct decisions taken by referee, seen by players and fans, is what a referee should "dream".

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  11. Little to add about Letexier's performance. Firm and solid, in addition to desperately passing the ball around in a final stretch that was already decided on the scoreboard.

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