Champions League: Mariani to referee PSG v Bayern after Napoli–Inter row | OneFootball

UEFA has chosen Maurizio Mariani to officiate one of the most anticipated matches of the fourth day of the Champions League, the clash between Paris Saint-Germain and Bayern Munich.

Champions League, Mariani appointed for PSG-Bayern Munich: a prestigious return after the Napoli–Inter case

A decision that has already sparked debate in the Italian refereeing world, considering that the Lazio referee was recently demoted to Serie B after the controversy arising from the penalty awarded to Napoli against Inter for the disputed contact between Mkhitaryan and Di Lorenzo.

After the suspension period imposed by the designator Gianluca Rocchi, Mariani thus returns to the most prestigious international stage, a testament to the trust that UEFA continues to place in him.

From Serie B to the Champions League: Mariani's journey

Mariani's return to the field occurred last weekend when he officiated the Serie B match between Virtus Entella and Empoli. Now, just a few days later, comes the appointment for PSG–Bayern Munich, one of the headline matches of the entire group stage.

A true professional comeback, almost a paradox considering that the same referee had been suspended in Italy due to the "wrong" penalty in Napoli–Inter, a decision that sparked fierce criticism from media and fans.

Unlike previous outings, Mariani will not be accompanied by assistant Daniele Bindoni, identified by Rocchi as the main responsible for the error made during the contested penalty at Maradona.

Mariani in Europe: the season's numbers

This season, the referee from Aprilia has already accumulated six appearances in total:

2 games in Serie A,

2 in Serie B,

2 in the Champions League (one in the qualifying phase).

His last international appearance was on September 17, when he officiated Liverpool–Atletico Madrid (3-2 for the Reds).

Moreover, Mariani was recently involved in the Under 20 World Cup in Chile, where he officiated four matches, including the final between Morocco and Argentina (3-0 for the Africans), an event that helped strengthen his international profile.

A strong signal from UEFA

The choice to entrust Mariani with such a prestigious match represents a clear message of confidence from UEFA, which seems not to share the criticisms received at home. An evident contrast to the Italian line, where Rocchi has decided to cautiously manage the most discussed referees, preferring for the moment to employ them in lower categories.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇮🇹 here.