Nicola Rizzoli is appointed as Champions League final referee. He’ll officiate the match between Borussia Dortmund and Bayern Munich Saturday 25th of May at Wembley.
Wembley stadium, venue of the 2012/2013 Champions League Final.
On Uefa.com: “The fourth official will be Damir Skomina from Slovenia and the two additional assistant referees, Gianluca Rocchi and Paolo Tagliavento, are from Italy. An Italian reserve assistant referee – Gianluca Cariolato – completes the refereeing team lineup.” Rizzoli after getting the appointment: “I feel very proud of getting appointed for the CL final.”
Nicola Rizzoli always wants to know how football players behave during the matches – even when he doesn’t have to officiate the teams immediately. “I had already spoken to some German colleagues before it was known who would be refereeing the final, because I like to get information when I meet other officials”, he says on Uefa.com. “Of course, today we are lucky to be able to get all the information we want off the internet, so the teams have been studied and analysed.”
Rizzoli is very passionate about Wembley: “You breathe the history and the passion, just pure football. That is what I hope to feel when I’m in the dressing room and when we come out of the tunnel.”
This blog already tried to guess the Champions League final referee. I predicted Nicola Rizzoli or Cuneyt Cakir to get appointed for the Champions League final.
Last 5 Champions League final referees
- 2011/2012: Pedro Proença
- 2010/2011: Viktor Kassai
- 2009/2010: Howard Webb
- 2008/2009: Massimo Busacca
- 2007/2008: Lubos Michel