Suspension sparks uproar: scandal-hit referee to officiate Bayern v PSG | OneFootball

Huge commotion ahead of the Champions League clash between Paris Saint-Germain and FC Bayern! The appointed referee Maurizio Mariani is in the spotlight – and for a controversial reason. The Italian was recently suspended in his home country after facing heavy criticism in Serie A.

As reported by several Italian media outlets, including Corriere dello Sport, Mariani, along with his assistant Daniele Bindoni, was temporarily banned from officiating in the first league following controversial decisions in the top match between Inter Milan and Napoli.

Suspension after wrong decisions in Italy

Photo: IMAGO

The 43-year-old caused a stir in the match at the end of October when he awarded a highly controversial penalty to Inter. Prior to this, Henrikh Mkhitaryan had only minimal contact with Giovanni Di Lorenzo in the penalty area – Mariani initially let play continue but was then urged to blow the whistle by his assistant Bindoni. The VAR could no longer intervene.

The incident led to a 1-0 for Inter and sparked intense debates in Italy. According to Corriere dello Sport, referee boss Gianluca Rocchi was reportedly "beside himself with rage" and instructed his referees to only intervene in the penalty area for clear fouls in the future.

Moreover, because Mariani refused to issue a red card against Napoli's Billy Gilmour despite repeated fouls in the same match, he was subsequently banned from first league games. Instead, he had to officiate the Serie B match between Virtus Entella and Empoli (1-0) over the weekend – a clear signal.

Controversial appointment for Bayern clash

Despite this background, Mariani has now been appointed by UEFA for the top match between PSG and FC Bayern. A decision that is causing surprise in both Italy and Germany.

The native Roman has only officiated two matches in Serie A this season and refereed the Champions League match where Liverpool beat Atlético Madrid 3-2 in September.

The appointment is considered delicate: After all, Mariani is under special scrutiny following his wrong decisions. For Bayern, who will play at the Parc des Princes in Paris on Tuesday (9 PM, live on Prime Video), the game is already tense enough – now the referee is adding extra excitement.

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