Appointments of match officials in charge of Youth League Round of 16.
Tuesday 24 February 2026
14:00 CET - Milan (KONAMI Youth Development Centre in Memory of Giacinto Facchetti)
FC INTERNAZIONALE MILANO (ITA) - REAL BETIS BALOMPIÉ (ESP)
Referee: Joey Kooij NED
Assistant Referee 1: Dyon Fikkert NED
Assistant Referee 2: Murat Kücükerbir NED
Fourth Official: Valerio Crezzini ITA
UEFA Referee Observer: Paolo Dondarini ITA
UEFA Delegate: Ursula Scully IRL
16:00 CET - Dreieich (Sportpark Dreieich)
EINTRACHT FRANKFURT (GER) - SPORTING CP (POR)
Referee: Samuel Barrott ENG
Assistant Referee 1: Alex James ENG
Assistant Referee 2: Jacob Graham ENG
Fourth Official: Tom Bauer GER
UEFA Referee Observer: Edgard Steinborn GER
UEFA Delegate: Ricardo Filipe da Costa Dias LUX
Wednesday 25 February 2026
14:00 CET - Poissy (Campus du Paris Saint-Germain)
PARIS SAINT-GERMAIN (FRA) - HJJK HELSINKI (FIN)
Referee: Miloš Milanović SRB
Assistant Referee 1: Nikola Antić SRB
Assistant Referee 2: Novak Novaković SRB
Fourth Official: Aurélien Petit FRA
UEFA Referee Observer: Alain Sars FRA
UEFA Delegate: Vaidotas Zajarskas LTU
16:00 CET - Seixal (Benfica Campus)
SL BENFICA (POR) - AZ ALKMAAR (NED)
Referee: Antoni Bandić BIH
Assistant Referee 1: Amir Kadić BIH
Assistant Referee 2: Nebojša Žugić BIH
Fourth Official: Flavio Dinis Lima POR
UEFA Referee Observer: Lucílio Cardoso Cortez Batista POR
UEFA Delegate: Drilon Ganiu MKD
16:00 CET - Madrid (Estadio Alfredo Di Stéfano)
REAL MADRID CF (ESP) - CHELSEA FC (ENG)
Referee: Igor Stojčevski MKD
Assistant Referee 1: Vjolca Izeiri MKD
Assistant Referee 2: Filip Ickovski MKD
Fourth Official: Álvaro Rodríguez Recio ESP
UEFA Referee Observer: Carlos Clos Gómez ESP
UEFA Delegate: Christoph Kern GER
16:00 CET - Žilina (Štadión MŠK Žilina)
MŠK ŽILINA (SVK) - CLUB BRUGGE KV (BEL)
Referee: Radoslav Gidzhenov BUL
Assistant Referee 1: Petar Mitrev BUL
Assistant Referee 2: Todor Vukov BUL
Fourth Official: Matej Choreň SVK
UEFA Referee Observer: Ladislav Gádoši SVK
UEFA Delegate: Gent Gerdovci KOS
16:00 CET - Alcalá de Henares (Centro Deportivo Alcalá de Henares)
CLUB ATLÉTICO DE MADRID (ESP) - MK MAKKABI HAIFA (ISR)
Referee: Ishmael Barbara MLT
Assistant Referee 1: James Muscat MLT
Assistant Referee 2: Duncan Spencer MLT
Fourth Official: Luis Enrique Morona Del Campo ESP
UEFA Referee Observer: Ádám Farkas HUN
UEFA Delegate: Paul Allaerts BEL
16:00 CET - Vila-real (Mini Estadi de la Ciutat Esportiva del Villarreal CF)
VILLARREAL CF (ESP) - LEGIA WARSZAWA (POL)
Referee: Edgars Maļcevs LVA
Assistant Referee 1: Deniss Ševcenko LVA
Assistant Referee 2: Romans Platonovs LVA
Fourth Official: Borja Guijarro Colomer ESP
UEFA Referee Observer: Alan Mario Sant MLT
UEFA Delegate: Daniel Rommedahl DEN
I don't know if they will disappear again, but here are the observers for the first legs of Champions League KO playoffs. Observers for the second legs are also appointed, no committe members or any particularly significant choice.
ReplyDeleteGalatasaray - Juventus
Howard Webb
Monaco - PSG
Dejan Filipović
Benfica - Real Madrid
Nicola Rizzoli
Dortmund - Atalanta
William Young
Qarabag - Newcastle
Matteo Simone Trefoloni
Olympiakos - Leverkusen
Edward Foley
Bodo - Inter
Elmir Pilav
Brugge - Atlético Madrid
Barış Şimşek
It should be: experienced and trusted referees in Istanbul, Bodo and Dortmund (Italian teams). Webb, Pilav and Young as observers.
The game in Bodo maybe could be open to something less, but knowing Rosetti, the answer here is rather "no". Just to make a prediction, possible to see once again Makkelie with Italian teams.
Very big name in French derby, but well, not a French referee, maybe Marciniak coming back from the injury or Vincic, once again?
In Benfica - Real a possible test for a referee fighting for a spot at WC. Shouldn't be an argument that Eskas got Real Madrid recently because we saw this happening other times, but I think maybe one between him and Nyberg with Rizzoli? Possible Schaerer as well.
However it is also a potentially challenging game, don't know how much Rosetti would like to spoil a name here, but we will see.
In Baku, as I was thinking before, given that it will be the "least sonorous play off", in first leg there could be room for an experiment, but relatively speaking. A new Elite would be possible, in case a name deserving after all he showed, would be surely Jablonski (with Zwayer not appointed in this round in CL after the recent games he had). Possible.
In Greece, a rather regular assignment with a referee working in CL with the Irish observer, I have in my mind an Italian assignment there as possible option. A rather regular CL referee.
The game in Bruges can be directly compared to the previous one in Greece, I think, less sonorous than other matches, but still, an important one. Apparently no current focus on the name who has been assigned, given the Turkish observer. We have several options here.
What do you think about this analysis?
@Chefren:
DeleteWorth noting that Webb, Trefoloni and Rizzoli are all FIFA instructors, so we’re probably looking at referees here who haven’t 100% fully secured their World Cup spot yet, or perhaps newly promoted refs for the next WC cycle(?).
Most of the officials dismissed from the pre-selection last December had been observed at least once by a FIFA instructor — unlike established names such as Turpin and Marciniak.
No FIFA instructors for the return legs, so I’d expect UEFA to keep the most experienced names in reserve for those matches?
I think the best five referees according the performance in league phase will get the tough matches
ReplyDeleteGalatasaray vs juventus
Benfica vs realmadrid
Dortmund vs atalanta
Monaco vs monaco
And my opinion the best five referees in league phase were according to the performance
Were
1 pinheiro
2 eskes
3 guida
4 oliver
5 kavanagah
@Ahmed big joy for you! Pinheiro won the olympic gold medal in Cortina!! :D
DeleteI am not understand what you are talking
Delete@Abdiaziz ahmed yousuf:
Delete"Monaco vs monaco" could indeed become a tough match with no clear favorite; in the French championship, these two teams are completely even: same number of points, same number of goals scored, same number of goals received. "Monaco" is known for playing hard against "monaco" and vice versa. A clear case for Pinheiro, who is praised for not making distinctions, but treating "Monaco" and "monaco" exactly the same.
I meant Monaco vs psg
DeletePeter what a great analysis 😂
DeleteBro Abdulaziz, your obsession with Joao Pinheiro and Portuguese referees just can't be explained. Left to you, only Portuguese officials would be officiating all UCL and Europa league matches
DeleteWhich referees do you expect for Semifinals and Final?
ReplyDeleteIt is difficult now to expect who referee the final because this depends on teams that reach the final
DeleteDifficult to say but if no English/french, Oliver and Letexier are the biggest favorites
Delete( I meant no English/French teams in the final)
DeleteChefren, doesn't the fact that Howard Webb has been assigned as an observer for the Galatasaray-Juventus match mean that the game will be officiated by an experienced, elite referee?
ReplyDeleteI think Vincic or Nyberg
DeleteHT at Aston Villa vs Newcastle (Kavanagh). His AR with a missed offside at 14' (No VAR, goal stood). Missed RC (SFP) 40', And two different penalty shouts that looked real bad, I'll try to find the times for them soon. Only correct decision was 45+1' RC for either DOGSO or VC, probably the former. Overall, Kavanagh and his ARs struggling to give correct decisions and looking lost without VAR.
ReplyDeleteNow an absolutely awful decision 61' handball FK given outside the box when it was clearly inside. Missed penalty.
DeleteThe 63' goal was possibly offside as well https://pbs.twimg.com/media/HBJF7UhWkAE0sTx?format=jpg&name=large
DeleteRC not given for SFP: https://www.reddit.com/r/soccer/comments/1r4s3rk/lucas_dignes_yellow_card_challenge_vs_newcastle/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web3x&utm_name=web3xcss&utm_term=1
DeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
Delete40 is never SFP though. Regular yellow card.
DeleteFor sure it's incredible that in an official game involving teams like Aston Villa and Newcastle, one think about the old football without VAR and with possible offside goals...
DeleteAbout 41' incident, for me RC could have been given for the speed of the challenge, but all about the rest is a rather YC, maybe a "dark" one, but possible to support it.
Curious about the rest of the incidents.
Kavanagh having a rare poor performance in the Villa v Newcastle cup game. Not helped by his assistants Beswick and Greenhalgh (not his usual pair).
ReplyDeletePoor is a bit of an understatement. Surely one of the worst refereed matches in England in recent history.
DeleteThe handball free kick is probably the worst of the lot. The hands are never not in the penalty area, and it isn't even close. If ever an advertisment for using VAR, this game was it. (Also, agree on the little help from his ARs, but this is normal for FA cup appointments to have mixed teams (in part with top referees often rested, but not ARs). Perhaps this policy needs to be reviewed)
DeleteOh, so this is why IFAB want to allow VAR to intervene for 2nd YC...
ReplyDeleteI predict that after tonight the decision will already be made.
La Penna with a terrible half.
DeleteWrong 2nd YC.
Bastoni’s first YC was preceded by a foul right on the edge of the penalty box not whistled.
I’m not watching Kavanagh, but honestly, the English decision not to use VAR in the matches of a competition they care so much about makes no sense. At this level, they should make the effort to introduce it; if not, they must face the consequences.
ReplyDeleteRegarding La Penna, a terrible mistake, he saw a foul on Bastoni, who would have started a very sudden counterattack. If you give the foul, yellow, is clear, but the simulation was outrageous and will go in history, like Orsato's infamous missed second yellow in the same match in 2018 to Pjanic.
For Rocchi, it has been a disastrous season in Serie A, anyone else would have already resigned. The cherry on the negative cake: apart from the mistake in today's game, it's unacceptable that there can be no accountability for him for an entire year. He has judged his referees, but who judges him? He will leave at the end of the season and will very likely fully disappear from the refereeing scene.
Yep,but reaction from Juve players and their delegation is ridiculous
DeleteFrom proofs in the past,they should be the last to complain about refereeing decisions that favour some team.
Too much inconsistencies from La Penna in this match and I don't think we'll see him for some time,especially since he was wrong and indirectly damaged Turin team.
For those unaware, England did use VAR in PL grounds for their club competitions. But the moans were 'it's not fair. Same comp, different rules! Imagine if someone is through thanks to VAR/another team out due to no VAR'. As daft as this argument was, the media ran with it, so now it is only used in the later rounds, where someone will pay for it to be used in non-PL grounds. The Scottish system of it not being used at non-Prem grounds, only mandated for cup TV games, and based on the two teams agreeing to pay for its use at Prem grounds where the infra is used in the league for non-TV cup games, is perhaps even worse
DeleteNot surprisingly there has been significant controversy in Scotland over this system. I can only recall one game where the match was not televised and the teams opted to pay for VAR.
DeleteYou also had the very weird situation where a team from the 6th tier of Scottish Football were playing at home and their match had VAR as the game was televised and they moved it to a nearby Premier league ground for safety reasons
Three PKs already for Hernández Maeso in Real Madrid - Real Sociedad, all given live. First two fully correct, third one more doubtful as despite the clear contact from behind Vinicius was already throwing himself to the ground.
ReplyDeleteRe: R32 UCL
ReplyDeleteHoping to see refs who performed best in the group stage, plus a few new promoted refs – though not every match is suitable for that. Maybe only Qarabag/Newcastle really fits that profile, and perhaps the Leverkusen return.
Appointments should be performance-based, not political. I hope we won’t see e.g. Obrenovic (performance) and Schaerer (seems unfair to always-available refs imho). Zwayer could skip a round to make room for Jablonski (performance-based, + age Zwayer should push the younger German). Marciniak is just back from injury – maybe starts in UEL instead?
My predictions:
- Olympiakos (Greece) → traditionally an Italian or Spanish ref.
- PSG vs Monaco → not really a top clash imo, also given the form of Monaco domestically; classic game for an English ref (Oliver/Taylor), maybe Sanchez or an Italian.
- Galatasaray vs Juve → potentially a younger ref in Istanbul (WC test with Webb); return tip in Torino: Vincic.
- Benfica vs Real → first leg with Rizzoli seems a big WC test. The return in Madrid is traditionally a French ref.
- Dutch ref and Kovács classics with Italian clubs;
- Pinheiro gets a game too. Could see him with Atalanta or Inter tbh.
Pinheiro had intee 2 games ago… can’t see it happening
DeleteI feel galatasaray juve and benfica madrid will get strong elites or at least ones that are performing well ( siebert for example)
Atalanta dortmund , being the closest game on paper, will probably get someone like Vincic or Kovacs.
Reminder that Turpin was unused this gameweek in france.
Indeed, Galatasaray vs. Juventus is probably one of the most challenging matches of this first round. We will certainly see a trusted referee with strong management skills in charge.
Deletehttps://streamin.link/v/dcdd52d6
ReplyDeleteIf you want to be fair, indirect free kick and yellow to GK for ridiculous simulation.
DeleteAfter what happened to Juventus yesterday, there will be even more focus on Galatasaray - Juventus game, but I'm sure, Rosetti already made a certain choice...
ReplyDeleteWhat happened?
DeleteThis:
Deletehttps://x.com/dancolosimoo/status/2022808861468434449
https://x.com/missdidi10_/status/2022943725811572758
Here the handball incident in Kavanagh game, once again it's incredible to see that a so clear mistake is allowed to happen at this level in FA Cup.
ReplyDeletehttps://streambug.org/cv/c145f3
The new UEFA Elite referee was rather lazy in following the action, he didn't change his style. Being aware of the fact that VAR was not there, he should have shown more alertness.
One can't blame assistant referee, he would have been involved for a possible inside / outside only on the long line of penalty area, but it's very hard for them.
I didn't watch the game, but very likely the very old Kavanagh as we knew him, was back in this game. At that time, it was simply impossible to believe he could have been promoted to Elite category...
What about Malcevs in Villarreal - Legia?
ReplyDeletehttps://x.com/Ant1kz97/status/2026696822949859711