With the 2024 Champions League final just days away, UEFA has unveiled the referee who will officiate the match between Real Madrid and Borussia Dortmund. While Aleksander Ceferin’s body has also revealed the referees for the other finals, the choice for the UEFA Champions League final brings back very bad memories in Spain.
Refereeing has been the subject of much debate in Europe in recent days. Ever since the second leg of the Champions League match between Real Madrid and Bayern Munich, when Polish referee Szymon Marciniak made a huge blunder in collusion with his assistant referee to the detriment of the Germans, UEFA has been on the alert. While reports suggest that the experienced Polish referee will be on ice for some time to come, European football’s governing body has unveiled the names of the referees who will be calling the various finals at the end of the season. And it goes without saying that the Real Madrid – Dortmund match is attracting the most attention.
The referee chosen for the C1 final
As of Monday, the identity of the man who will be blowing the whistle at the Champions League final between Real Madrid and Borussia Dortmund on 1 June (19:00 GMT) at Wembley is known. For fans of European club competitions, Slavko Vincic should be no stranger. Appointed by UEFA to take charge of the final Champions League match of the season, the Slovenian referee will have to be mentally tough. Although Borussia Germany have already come up against him this season, in their victorious quarter-final second leg against Atlético Madrid (4-2), Real Madrid are keeping a close eye on him.
Like Marciniak, Slavko Vincic (44) remains one of the most experienced referees in the game today. However, for the Spaniards, he remains one of the most controversial referees in recent years after his performance during the group match in Italy between Inter Milan and FC Barcelona in 2022. Beaten 1-0 by Inter at the San Siro after a game marked by a number of contentious decisions by Vincic, Xavi’s club made no secret of their anger. For many Spaniards, the Slovenian remains a bad memory.
UEFA bets big on Vincic
In any case, UEFA has made its choice. Rendezvous on 01 June to see how the match between Real Madrid and Germany’s Borussia will play out in their black away shirt. Carlo Ancelotti’s team, which is aiming for its fifteenth title in the competition, will be playing in white in front of 25,000 Spanish fans who will be travelling to England in the hope that everything will go well.
The European body also announced on Monday that Englishwoman Rebecca Welch will referee the women’s final between Olympique Lyonnais and FC Barcelona on 25 May (4pm), while Romanian referee Istvan Kovacs will referee the Europa League final between Bayer Leverkusen and Atalanta Bergamo on 22 May (7pm). Finally, Portugal’s Artur Soares Dias will referee the Europa League Conference final between Fiorentina and Olympiakos on 29 May (7pm).
The size of the stakes for Madrid and Borussia
“Let there be no doubt in anyone’s mind that we’re going to leave our souls behind in London to come home with the 15th Champions League in our history,” said Florentino Pérez on Sunday as he celebrated the 36th La Liga title in the club’s history. As the famous 77-year-old Spanish sports executive points out, Madrid, who start the final against BVB as big favourites, should not be playing around with the game.
However, it should be noted that Dortmund, who are the surprise guests in this final, to be coached by Slavko Vincic, will be playing their cards close to their chest. Led by talented players such as Karim Adeyemi, Jadon Sancho and Mats Hummels, Edin Terzic’s team will also be doing their utmost to make Marco Reus’s departure all the sweeter… All of which augurs well for a hard-fought encounter in which the referee will have to be very fair in his choices.
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