Third qualifying round of 2026-27 UEFA Champions League, referee assignments (second legs).
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| Following a replacement, Willy Delajod finds himself between the Elite referees appointed for this round |
Tuesday 11 August 2026
17:00 CET
Türkıstan (Türkıstan Arena)
QAİRAT (KAZ) vs. LEVSKI SOFIA (BUL)
Referee: Daniel Siebert GER
Assistant Referee 1: Jan Seidel GER
Assistant Referee 2: Rafael Foltyn GER
Fourth Official: Max Burda GER
Video Assistant Referee: Christian Dingert GER
Assistant Video Assistant Referee: Johann Pfeifer GER
UEFA Referee Observer: Vladimir Antonov MDA
UEFA Delegate: Aliaksandr Aliejnik BLR
18:00 CET
Baku (Bank Respublika Arena)
SABAH (AZE) vs. AARHUS (DEN)
Referee: Willy Delajod FRA
Assistant Referee 1: Erwan Finjean FRA
Assistant Referee 2: Valentin Evrard FRA
Fourth Official: Eric Wattellier FRA
Video Assistant Referee: Bastien Dechepy FRA
Assistant Video Assistant Referee: Nicolas Rainville FRA
UEFA Referee Observer: Alain Hamer LUX
UEFA Delegate: Igor Radojčić SRB
18:00 CET
Bodø (Aspmyra Stadion)
BODØ/GLIMT (NOR) vs. UNION SAINT-GILLOISE (BEL)
Referee: Istvan Kovacs ROU
Assistant Referee 1: Mihai Marius Marica ROU
Assistant Referee 2: Ferencz Tunyogi ROU
Fourth Official: Horațiu Mircea Feșnic ROU
Video Assistant Referee: Andrew Dallas SCO
Assistant Video Assistant Referee: Greg Aitken SCO
UEFA Referee Observer: Karen Nalbandyan ARM
UEFA Delegate: Heri á Rógvi FRO
19:00 CET
Kaunas (Dariaus ir Girėno stadionas)
KAUNO ŽALGIRIS (LTU) vs. DINAMO ZAGREB (CRO)
Referee: Davide Massa ITA
Assistant Referee 1: Filippo Meli ITA
Assistant Referee 2: Alessio Berti ITA
Fourth Official: Livio Marinelli ITA
Video Assistant Referee: Daniele Doveri ITA
Assistant Video Assistant Referee: Manuel Volpi ITA
UEFA Referee Observer: Volodymyr Petrov UKR
UEFA Delegate: Daniel Rommedahl DEN
19:30 CET
Nijmegen (Goffertstadion)
NEC NIJMEGEN (NED) vs. OLYMBIAKÓS (GRE)
Referee: Maurizio Mariani ITA
Assistant Referee 1: Daniele Bindoni ITA
Assistant Referee 2: Alberto Tegoni ITA
Fourth Official: Luca Zufferli ITA
Video Assistant Referee: Michael Fabbri ITA
Assistant Video Assistant Referee: Davide Ghersini ITA
UEFA Referee Observer: Vlado Svilokos CRO
UEFA Delegate: Milovan Đukanović MNE
20:00 CET
Belgrade (Stadion Rajko Mitić)
CRVENA ZVEZDA (SRB) vs. HAPOEL BE’ER SHEVA (ISR)
Referee: Glenn Nyberg SWE
Assistant Referee 1: Mahbod Beigi SWE
Assistant Referee 2: Andreas Söderkvist SWE
Fourth Official: Oscar Johnson SWE
Video Assistant Referee: Pol van Boekel NED
Assistant Video Assistant Referee: Richard Martens NED
UEFA Referee Observer: David Fernández Borbalán ESP
UEFA Delegate: Adrian D. Casha MLT
20:15 CET
Bratislava (Národný futbalový štadión)
SLOVAN BRATISLAVA (SVK) vs. MJÄLLBY (SWE)
Referee: Michael Oliver ENG
Assistant Referee 1: Wade Smith ENG
Assistant Referee 2: Blake Antrobus ENG
Fourth Official: Farai Hallam ENG
Video Assistant Referee: Michael Salisbury ENG
Assistant Video Assistant Referee: Darren England ENG
UEFA Referee Observer: Gianluca Rocchi ITA
UEFA Delegate: Peter Oskam NED
20:15 CET
Celje (Stadion Z'dežele)
CELJE (SVN) vs. ARARAT-ARMENIA (ARM)
Referee: Marco Guida ITA
Assistant Referee 1: Giorgio Peretti ITA
Assistant Referee 2: Valerio Colarossi ITA
Fourth Official: Fabio Maresca ITA
Video Assistant Referee: Aleandro Di Paolo ITA
Assistant Video Assistant Referee: Francesco Meraviglia ITA
UEFA Referee Observer: Levan Paniashvili GEO
UEFA Delegate: Christoph Kern GER
20:30 CET
Graz (Stadion Graz Liebenau)
STURM GRAZ (AUT) vs. FENERBAHÇE (TUR)
Referee: Alejandro José Hernández Hernández ESP
Assistant Referee 1: José Enrique Naranjo Pérez ESP
Assistant Referee 2: Marcos Cerdán Aguilar ESP
Fourth Official: Alejandro Quintero González ESP
Video Assistant Referee: César Soto Grado ESP
Assistant Video Assistant Referee: Valentín Pizarro Gómez ESP
UEFA Referee Observer: Helmut Fleischer GER
UEFA Delegate: Eugène Westerink NED
21:00 CET
Décines-Charpieu (Groupama Stadium)
OLYMPIQUE LYONNAIS (FRA) vs. SPARTA PRAHA (CZE)
Referee: Szymon Marciniak POL
Assistant Referee 1: Tomasz Listkiewicz POL
Assistant Referee 2: Adam Kupsik POL
Fourth Official: Wojciech Myć POL
Video Assistant Referee: Piotr Lasyk POL
Assistant Video Assistant Referee: Fedayi San SUI
UEFA Referee Observer: Lassin Isaksen FRO
UEFA Delegate: Per Eliasson SWE
Oliver with two new AR?
ReplyDeleteWhy 🤔
DeleteThe appointment of Delajod as replacement should indeed mean that both Letexier and Turpin were on holidays / not available. I can understand. Long and exhausting season for the latter, and challenging, let's say it kindly, WC for the former. I wish that Letexier can be back soon in top form.
ReplyDeleteMeanwhile, with Bastien and Frappart retirement, the number of French Elite referees has decreased in an extremely short time.
I don't think Letexier will be assigned to the Champions League playoffs either. What he went through is not easy; he needs a long vacation to recover. Turpin is being saved for the playoffs, and I see his appointment to a potential Fenerbahce vs. Prague game as 100%
ReplyDeleteOT Arsenal vs Dortmund today was Sian Masseys last game before retirement. Ref was Kavanagh and AR1 was Cook.
ReplyDeleteEskås AR2 Bashevkin - an amazing AR and even better person - has announced impending retirement
ReplyDeleteHis official statement via Instagram:
DeleteFrom childhood hip surgeries and playing football with crutches in Ready, to the Champions League and the World Cup. Now the time has come to hang up the flag and put the football boots on the sidelines for the last time.
After 22 years as a football referee – gradually moving up the divisions – and all the way to the world top in the last four years in a team with Espen and Jan Erik – I have decided to end my career. Right after an unforgettable World Cup, the greatest experience you can have as a football referee, it feels absolutely right to give up now.
The 4 Calvé-Legg-Perthes hip surgeries I had as a child, and the oval hip sockets and the altered anatomy of the femurs, should not really be compatible with running-based sports. That I have managed to get this far and so high is a medical and physiological feat. That's what I'm most proud of - that I've proven that it's possible to referee football at the absolute highest international level with oval Perthes hips.
There are no acute injuries here and now, but some gradually increasing minor aches and pains here and there that will continue to increase and could develop into chronic ailments if I keep pushing myself. I could probably be at Euro 2028 and World Cup 2030, but for the sake of both my body and the team's ability to continue delivering world-class performances, it's the right thing to do now.
After several years of 130+ travel days a year, and now most recently 7 weeks away during the World Cup, it will be very nice to be able to be more present at home with my family and my 2.5-year-old daughter, after they have also been through tough times when dad has been traveling around the world a lot.
Thank you to the Norwegian Football Federation, UEFA and FIFA for the trust. Thank you to all referee colleagues for the solidarity. And the biggest thanks go to Espen and Jan Erik – for the solid refereeing we have delivered together over time – with finals in the U21 European Championship and the U17 World Cup, quarter-finals in the Champions League, bronze medal final in the Paris Olympics, and now the finals in the FIFA World Cup 2026. Thank you for the trips and experiences, thank you for the love, and thank you for letting me be part of this part of the journey. I have great faith in the team going forward, and I will be cheering you on in every single match!
It has been an honor!"
Interesting Dallas as VAR with Kovacs
ReplyDeleteI suppose Kovacs's most favorite thing is his cards.
ReplyDeleteWell I dont think so,maybe 1st half he was saving himself,but the way he is handling match 1 goal is enough to him losing control.
DeleteHe literally gave out 6-7 YCs? Hardly proof that it's his favorite thing in *this* game.
DeleteRed card by Massa,
ReplyDeleteClear DOGSO but possible SFP as well:
https://streamain.com/en/TzRXXPqXTgDCzju/watch
One point worth highlighting: the player touches his leg once on the ground, but he was actually hit elsewhere. Players simulate whenever they can to exaggerate contacts. In any case, the goalkeeper's late challenge is clearly a foul.
Tricky situation as the contact is really negligible and the player clearly suggests he was fouled in different way to reality. I guess it was not far from VAR intervening for no foul but ultimately the negligible contact existed...
DeleteOnce again chaos for a Kovac game not judging it from it performance but no control of a game again for him 3 or 4 red card in this game.
ReplyDeleteOfr for Mariani for possible RC
ReplyDeleteClear SFP, it took too long for Fabbri to initiate the OFR (Mariani should also have detected it live).
Deletehttps://streamain.com/en/vIZT6kj1BL8YoXG/watch
DeleteClear red card, I agree.
The point of view of Mariani was decent, he should have seen it live. Maybe too much physical effort in the sprint didn't help him in having more focus and he just thought about a reckless challenge.
The yellow cards Hernandez gave to the 2 Fenerbahce players are unbelievable at this level.
ReplyDelete2 wrong cards..
Correct RC for DOGSO immediately and assuredly given by Marciniak, well done.
ReplyDeleteClear DOGSO good call
Deletehttps://streamain.com/en/KFJifHbdc9Egc2t/watch
DeleteHere, in my view, from a purely technical standpoint, the speed with which the red card is shown immediately after the foul is a sign of an elite referee.
Guys.. Who do you think the referees for the Fenerbahçe vs. Lyon match will be?
ReplyDeleteOliver and zwayer
DeleteTop performance delivered by Marciniak in Lyon! Congrats to him
ReplyDeleteIstvan Kovacs: second YC, advantage, management.
ReplyDeletehttps://streamin.link/v/cd7a66e9
Nonsense.. What kind of advantage is that? A second yellow card shown a minute later is the most ridiculous thing I've ever seen.. What if that player who got the red card had scored a goal? What would have happened then 🤦🏻♂️
DeleteThis doesn't look very convincing from Kavacs, and that's putting it mildly.
DeleteThe warning definitely came secretly from VAR 😂 Kovacs lost all his motivation for refereeing after managing the Champions League final.
DeleteThis downfall Kovacs is experiencing is incredible. seeing a referee at this level like this makes me sad.. It looks like referees are going to be a massive talking point this year. Losing both Taylor and Vincic at the same time is going to create a huge problem for Rosetti
DeleteIt doesn't matter if Kovacs has a bad performance, rosetti loves him just as much as his 3 Italians.
DeleteIs there a clip of the RC for Adem Zorgane en Raul Florucz by Kovacs?
ReplyDeleteWhy are comments being deleted on this page?
ReplyDeleteIvan Barton shows a red card to the goalkeeper who pushes him. Do you think the decision is correct? https://x.com/eduuxqs/status/2087390128503230630/video/1?s=46
ReplyDeleteand another red card..
Deletehttps://x.com/History_LigaMX/status/2087444969871061439/video/1?s=46
One thing is certain: refereeing the way Barton does it nowadays is universally rejected. Given his approach, it's a miracle he made it officiating a World Cup semifinal, considering Collina and Busacca philosophy on referee management.
DeleteAnyway, I think this is precisely why they would have never given him the final, nor will they in the future. For refereeing enthusiasts, he is the last stand of a past era that somehow survives..
In the first scenario, a modern observer would say: "You have to stay away from the goalkeeper and avoid making contact, that's a red card you created by yourself".
Barton, on the other hand, is one of those figures who still tries to put the referee, rather than the players, at the center of the game. Maybe the last one in modern refereeing.
Watch the other angles, Cefren... The goalkeeper clearly looks right at the referee and gives him a hard push. Collina loves referees in Ivan Barton's style because Barton is like Collina's twin on the pitch. That's why they gave a semifinal to him at age of 34
Deletehttps://x.com/martinolicuri/status/2087390622411858200?s=46
DeletePossible RC for SFP in Hernández Hernández game:
ReplyDeletehttps://streamin.link/v/11c2ffb2
And here the cards reported by HB2300 as wrong.
DeleteFirst one for the holding, referee made a gesture, second one is excellent decision if you ask me, reckless by attacker, he kicked with force defender, and the Spanish referee rightly gave advantage. However, it's a kind of card for reckless that, I must admit, isn't given anymore in modern refereeing, but for me refreshing to see.
40'
https://streamin.link/v/fbd744d7
45'+1
https://streamin.link/v/a5ddc4ca
Did he give the yellow card for pulling the shirt ? I missed that part. I thought he gave it for the last challenge ..
DeleteI think the two yellow cards given were a bit soft. The last one was just unavoidable contact as the player went to kick the ball. If that's a yellow card, there would be 10 yellow cards every game
DeleteSFP: It should be a straight red card for tackle as an attack, but in the old 1-10 system on the RAPs, this foul would clearly be an '8'/borderline.
DeleteYellow cards: Both are (clearly) correct 👍.
To add to Chefren's clip above for Bodo-USG.
ReplyDeleteFirst caution in the SYC (81’): https://streamff.com/v/769a7ca2
Penalty appeal for USG at 119': https://streamff.com/v/abf850f8
Circa fulltime sequence w/RC(s): https://streamff.com/v/9c8421cf
I watched the game last night. To be honest, Kovacs' performance was okay - at least, I would say that the USG complaints were clearly not justified; the Romanian official handled the game in an adequate manner and the big call(s) were correct. It would have been a big mistake not to have awarded the SYC, even if the procedure was something close to a disaster for a top referee (crew).
The problem that Kovacs had in this match was the level of acceptance that he savoured from the away team’s players as the game went on. This team were playing with an apparently quite short fuse in this match which had nothing to do with the refereeing (see the way in which the goalscorer celebrated the 1-1 goal), but something did go a bit wrong here along the way. I think it does touch on Kovacs’ biggest (recent) weakness: his demeanour on the field of play is something close to Van der Ende, that of a very strong and authoritarian person, but probably a little too often he comes across as a little indecisive when making calls. The above YC at 81’ is a good example: the tackle looks clearly reckless and the booking seems clearly justified, but it is only after a delay and initially very light toot on the whistle that the caution is awarded. This incongruence between the referee’s demeanour and the decisions leads, I think at least partly understandably, to irritation on the part of the players. More-or-less, that is the story of what happened in this match.
I wrote about this in April, and events since then have probably ascertained that reading. I want to be clear that this performance was by no means a disaster, but I do think it is fair to ask if one could expect more in terms of level from one of the top ≈5 referees in UEFA’s estimation. Truthfully - one might have to say that FIFA’s consideration of the Romanian official is, at the present time, the more accurate.
I agree his performance by it self was not bad but his management is terrible as always I think I’d gave 2 or 3 RC at the end of this game, most of the top refs will just have came back to the locker room without giving cards like this. Loosing control of a game like this is just not possible if you want big games at the end of the season imo.
DeleteYour referee predictions for the playoff matches?
ReplyDeleteMy predictions for the Champions League qualifying play-off matches:
ReplyDeleteLevski - AEK: Eskas/Makkelie
Celtic - LASK: Pinheiro/Turpin
Dinamo Zagreb - Viking: Obrenovic/Mariani
Slovan - Celje: Hernandez/Letexier
Hapoel - Sabah: Nyberg/Marciniak
Fenerbahce - Lyon: Massa/Oliver
NEC - Bodo/Glimt: Peljto/Siebert
A Slovenian for Dinamo Zagreb? I don't think so.
Delete