Napoli v Qarabag: Marciniak to referee, spotlight on expert | OneFootball

Szymon Marciniak, one of the most renowned referees on the international scene, will officiate Napoli–Qarabag, the match scheduled for Tuesday at 9 PM and valid for the fifth round of the Champions League group stage.

Napoli-Qarabag, high-profile appointment: it's Marciniak's turn. An experienced referee, often in the spotlight

This choice confirms UEFA’s intention to entrust a delicate match to a highly experienced official.

Previous encounters with Napoli and high-level matches

This is not the first time Marciniak has crossed paths with the Azzurri. The Polish referee had already officiated the Champions League quarter-final Napoli–Milan two seasons ago, a highly debated match remembered for the intensity of the double clash between the two Italian sides.

His recent career also includes:

Inter–Atletico Madrid from last season, a Champions League round of 16 match during which Julian Alvarez’s penalty was disallowed for a double touch.

The semi-final between Inter and Barcelona, a match characterized by tension and protests from the Catalan club.

Marciniak is therefore used to officiating high-stakes matches, often accompanied by complex incidents and decisions scrutinized by public opinion.

The controversies of 2023 and the UEFA investigation

The Polish referee’s record is not without controversy. In 2023, in fact, Marciniak found himself at the center of a UEFA investigation for participating in Poland at an event organized by Sławomir Mentzen, a political figure known for his radical positions.

According to reports from The Guardian, Mentzen, leader of the Confederation party, was associated with openly discriminatory slogans. The English newspaper reconstructed the situation as follows: “Szymon Marciniak spoke at an event organized by Sławomir Mentzen, known for the slogan ‘We are against Jews, gays, abortion, taxation, and the European Union.’ In 2021, he also sparked controversy for a beer called White IPA Matters, interpreted as a mockery of the Black Lives Matter movement.”

The incident led UEFA to request clarification from Marciniak, who publicly distanced himself from any discriminatory ideology.

A valuable referee, but not without media shadows

At 44, Marciniak remains one of the most prepared and reliable referees on the international stage, frequently appointed for decisive matches. At the same time, his career is dotted with episodes that have often placed him at the center of both technical and media attention.

For Napoli–Qarabag, his presence guarantees a high level of experience, but also the awareness that every decision will be observed with particular scrutiny.

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