Here are the appointments for the third matchday of 2025/26 Champions League league-phase, first set of matches, to be played on 21 October 2025.
21 October 2025
18:45 CET - Barcelona (Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys)
FC BARCELONA (ESP) - OLYMBIAKÓS SFP (GRE)
Referee: Urs Schnyder SUI
Assistant Referee 1: Marco Zürcher SUI
Assistant Referee 2: Benjamin Zürcher SUI
Fourth Official: Lukas Fähndrich SUI
Video Assistant Referee: Fedayi San SUI
Assistant Video Assistant Referee: Ivan Bebek CRO
UEFA Referee Observer: Roberto Rosetti ITA
UEFA Delegate: Nils Øyvind Fisketjønn NOR
18:45 CET - Almaty (Almaty Ortalyq Stadion)
QAİRAT FK (KAZ) - PAFOS FC (CYP)
Referee: Christopher Kavanagh ENG
Assistant Referee 1: Daniel Cook ENG
Assistant Referee 2: Ian Hussin ENG
Fourth Official: Samuel Barrott ENG
Video Assistant Referee: Stuart Attwell ENG
Assistant Video Assistant Referee: Peter Bankes ENG
UEFA Referee Observer: Konrad Plautz AUT
UEFA Delegate: Aurel Mihail Ionescu ROU
21:00 CET - London (Emirates Stadium)
ARSENAL FC (ENG) - CLUB ATLÉTICO DE MADRID (ESP)
Referee: Davide Massa ITA
Assistant Referee 1: Filippo Meli ITA
Assistant Referee 2: Stefano Alassio ITA
Fourth Official: Matteo Marcenaro ITA
Video Assistant Referee: Daniele Chiffi ITA
Assistant Video Assistant Referee: Jérôme Brisard FRA
UEFA Referee Observer: Nuno Alexandre Parreira de Castro POR
UEFA Delegate: Knut Bjørn Nordheim NOR
21:00 CET - Leverkusen (BayArena)
BAYER 04 LEVERKUSEN (GER) - PARIS SAINT GERMAIN FC (FRA)
Referee: Jesús Gil Manzano ESP
Assistant Referee 1: Ángel Nevado Rodríguez ESP
Assistant Referee 2: Guadalupe Porras Ayuso ESP
Fourth Official: Alejandro Muñiz Ruiz ESP
Video Assistant Referee: Carlos del Cerro Grande ESP
Assistant Video Assistant Referee: Jarred Gillett ENG/AUS
UEFA Referee Observer: Alain Hamer LUX
UEFA Delegate: Romano Clavadetscher SUI
21:00 CET - Vila-real (Estadi de la Ceràmica)
VILLARREAL CF (ESP) - MANCHESTER CITY FC (ENG)
Referee: Serdar Gözübüyuk NED
Assistant Referee 1: Erwin Zeinstra NED
Assistant Referee 2: Patrick Inia NED
Fourth Official: Jeroen Manschot NED
Video Assistant Referee: Rob Dieperink NED
Assistant Video Assistant Referee: Bram Van Driessche BEL
UEFA Referee Observer: Kóstas Kapitanís CYP
UEFA Delegate: Renáta Tomášová SVK
21:00 CET - Eindhoven (Philips Stadion)
PSV EINDHOVEN (NED) - SSC NAPOLI (ITA)
Referee: Daniel Siebert GER
Assistant Referee 1: Jan Seidel GER
Assistant Referee 2: Rafael Foltyn GER
Fourth Official: Daniel Schlager GER
Video Assistant Referee: Christian Dingert GER
Assistant Video Assistant Referee: Bastian Dankert GER
UEFA Referee Observer: Carlos Clos Gómez ESP
UEFA Delegate: Thura Win ENG
21:00 CET - Copenhagen (Parken - Connected by 3)
FC KØBENHAVN (DEN) - BORUSSIA DORTMUND (GER)
Referee: Danny Makkelie NED
Assistant Referee 1: Hessel Steegstra NED
Assistant Referee 2: Jan de Vries NED
Fourth Official: Allard Lindhout NED
Video Assistant Referee: Pol van Boekel NED
Assistant Video Assistant Referee: Tiago Bruno Lopes Martins POR
UEFA Referee Observer: Rune Pedersen NOR
UEFA Delegate: Gijs de Jong NED
21:00 CET - Brussels (Lotto Park)
ROYALE UNION SAINT-GILLOISE (BEL) - FC INTERNAZIONALE MILANO (ITA)
Referee: Glenn Nyberg SWE
Assistant Referee 1: Mahbod Beigi SWE
Assistant Referee 2: Andreas Söderkvist SWE
Fourth Official: Adam Ladebäck SWE
Video Assistant Referee: Guillermo Cuadra Fernández ESP
Assistant Video Assistant Referee: Javier Iglesias Villanueva ESP
UEFA Referee Observer: Kýros Vassáras GRE
UEFA Delegate: Ádonis Prokopíou CYP
21:00 CET - Newcastle (St. James' Park)
NEWCASTLE UNITED FC (ENG) - SL BENFICA (POR)
Referee: Szymon Marciniak POL
Assistant Referee 1: Tomasz Listkiewicz POL
Assistant Referee 2: Adam Kupsik POL
Fourth Official: Paweł Raczkowski POL
Video Assistant Referee: Tomasz Kwiatkowski POL
Assistant Video Assistant Referee: César Soto Grado ESP
UEFA Referee Observer: Terje Hauge NOR
UEFA Delegate: Antonio Talarico ITA
With 2 appointments in the champions League is kavanagh this season under spotlight from committee
ReplyDeleteWhat are your predictions for
ReplyDeleteReal Madrid - Juventus ?
Turpin or vincic ?
The choice is between: Turpin, Letexier and Vincic.
DeleteNo other names should be possible, as Zwayer is coming from a very poor Manchester City - Napoli.
Letexier already had Juventus on MD1.
DeleteSo yes, Turpin makes a lot of sense there, also with Brisard appointed as AVAR on Tuesday.
I think it will be Vinčič.
DeleteWell, should be Vincic then, because Turpin officiated Italy - Israel, and given that appointments for this Matchday were made before, it's hard to believe they planned the French for two games in a row under the spotlight and involving Italian audience. They should have considered possible discussions in WC qualifiers game, so the last remaining option seems indeed Vincic.
DeleteThis would also explain why Vincic got "only" NED - FIN, in WC qualifiers. I remember a comment stating that he should have got more. The reason behind was then Real - Juventus appointment to follow. We will know tomorrow.
DeleteAnd maybe this time he will have Dankert as VAR (prediction).
DeleteIMO Peljto could be a good choice, too.
DeleteCrazy good game for Schnyder, also with Rosetti as observer.
ReplyDeleteIt's still running nepotism and favouristm!!
ReplyDeleteSo very big plans for Schnyder. It seems we can easily add him to the pool of referees waiting for a promotion to Elite.
ReplyDeleteWhile Sandro Schärer is having hard times due to injuries, another Swiss can smile. We'll see. My feeling is that they have already decided. One should also add that after rather long time, Busacca last big name, the Helvetic federation is now definitely coming back
About Kavanagh, to answer Neil comment, I think he is regularly used as Category 1 referee, but without a real focus in terms of development, otherwise in my opinion he would have got different and better games and other observers. He just takes the spot, as I said before, of third English referee, but of course it's good to have CL games because it's not a given.
Another attempt with Massa, who will officiate Arsenal - Atlético Madrid. I didn't expect this assignment, we will see how he will officiate at Emirates.
One could have maybe expected a less experienced referee in Brussels, but we have Inter, Italian team, and so an Elite referee.
I know it's just an assumption, but I'm convinced. Belgian side at home agains another team for me no Elite referee (indeed, a Category 1 was referee of last game they played at home against Newcastle).
Regular path for Makkelie with this one in Copenhagen, whilee Gozubuyuk is more exposed in Villarreal, with Manchester City.
After having appeared in the last set of MD2, if I remember correctly, and bot before, now they both have already two games in CL league-phase. I'm curious to see whether Gozubuyuk will show a clean officiating in Spain.
Should be a regular one for Marciniak in Newcastle, while Siebert in Eindhoven shows us once again the attention by committee for Italian teams. Second German for Napoli after City - Napoli, in this case in the Netherlands, a less experienced referee would have ben possible, but still a similar argument to Gilloise - Inter (but the one in Eindhoven for me more sonorous clash).
Finally, Gil Manzano with PSG. It's not the first time we know, and once again, the list of referees officiating the French team is not that long if compared to other and various different choices that committee makes. But of course, I want to repeat, this is just my point of view...
IMO remarkable and a bit surprising, that Gözübüyük gets the better game than Makkelie. If the latter doesn't start to get top games again, one probably really has to doubt his WC chances (see previous discussions).
DeleteFor Nyberg, I agree that it is a game below expectations for him. The first referee to get three games though.
Massa and Gil Manzano getting those top games is also unexpected. Makes you wonder, whether they are still supposed to challenge Mariani and Sanchez as their countries' number one.
Decent game for Marciniak, but again not a really sonorous game between teams from top leagues but without the biggest reputation.
I always thought Schnyder was a good referee, but I’m really surprised to see him suddenly back in the spotlight. RR just remains totally unpredictable.
DeleteAfter that poor game in Eindhoven last year, he was completely out – no more matches, not even invited to the winter course, if I remember correctly. I wish the Swiss referee a good performance, because who knows what kind of ideas RR might come up with otherwise.
Yes, it's indeed strange that the Swiss didn't attend Winter Course and didn't officiate any KO game in clubs' competitions, given how he seems to be on a certain path. One should even wonder how much the fact that Schaerer was available at that time, allowed the committee to be more "relaxed" about that? Otherwise I couldn't find an explanation.
DeleteIf I talk to the Portuguese referee some charged me defend of Portuguese despite I am not Portuguese but I feel shame what is happening for the Portuguese referee in uefa every country gets its share except Portuguese I don't now to this extent Portugal referees are bad comparing all other countries in even small countries in football
ReplyDeleteI think what is happening for the Portuguese referee is humiliation for sure so I hope rosseti gives Portuguese what deserve Portugal don't deserve this treatment at all
ReplyDeleteI also didn't understand why the Swede was given a game of lesser importance, when he had performed well in previous games at a more competitive level.
ReplyDeleteChefren,which referee are you expecting for the Galatasaray-Bodo Glimt match?
ReplyDeleteObserver William Young SCO, I think a possible name is Petrescu from Romania.
DeleteI think Obrenovic or Peltjo.
DeletePeljto just finished U20, skip MD3 should be his “rest” ;)
DeleteThis is the last time I address our friend Abdiaziz: I think you don't like to read, do you? You talk about "humiliation towards the Portuguese referees" well first, that word is not correct, and second, do you forget that Pinheiro had the Super Cup?
ReplyDeleteYou also say that "all countries get it" really? What about Austria? Croatia? Scotland? Hungary? Czech Republic? And, lately, I would add Georgia.
Or rather, Portugal gets A LOT compared to these countries. (I'm not saying it's undeserved, of course).
And finally for you, what should Rosetti give to the Portuguese refereeing? A referee in each MD of CL, EL, Conference League,Qualifiers…?
Today, only Pinheiro aspires to great things, Godinho should have his CL soon, Nobre (as has been said) is very poor for CL, Goncalves and Nogueira just start their process...
So the treatment towards Portugal is NOT bad, it's very good. I ask you to be more objective and leave the "fanatism" aside.
OK thank you, but do you think Portugal is the same level of austria or Georgia hungary , with all due respect tothese countries I think Portugal referees have the same level and quality of france or Germany or holland if not better
DeleteHey Yousuf, I actually want to keep quiet, but you're annoying, dude. Democracy does provide freedom of expression, but if that freedom interferes with others, I don't think it's democracy anymore. I think your obsession and fanaticism have seriously disturbed this blog forum. Please come to your senses. THANK YOU.
DeleteWell, it's very disappointing to see Massa get a great game like ARSATM just for compensation...Schnyder is certainly on his way to Elite, but he is the best that Switzerland has after Schärer? I seriously wonder...Makkelie and Gözübüyük with regular games, I don't see why to be alarmed...Marciniak, Siebert and Gil Manzano with also expected games.
ReplyDeleteIt strikes me powerfully to see Nyberg with Vassaras... do the tests begin for a possible final for the Swede? I dare say yes.
The same for the Swiss can be applied to Kavanagh, who is also another Elite candidate.
I had put Zwayer in RMAJUV, probably, but Vincic is a very strong option.
As I mentioned earlier, I hadn't understood why Nyberg had been named for a minor match.
ReplyDeleteBut analyzing the characteristics of "hidden matches" and considering Vassaras' presence as an observer, a nose for the ball, UEFA may have plans for the Swede to play in a possible continental final next year
I think that the observer for Nyberg is also understandable because Vassaras is one of the UEFA Instructors for the WC if I saved the list correctly that was posted here in the blog. Clos Gomez who observes Siebert is also one of them. So I think that Chelsea-Ajax will be refereed by another candidate for the WC.
ReplyDeleteEskås seems the obvious choice IMO.
DeleteThe OFR in Milan-Fiorentina (84') was truly terrible: a clear simulation led to a penalty kick that was correctly not awarded previously
ReplyDelete