Champions League referee Szymon Marciniak officiates olympique lyonnais clash

The UEFA has entrusted the experienced Szymon Marciniak with the whistle for the second leg of the third qualifying round of the Champions League between Olympique Lyonnais and Sparta Prague. The highly anticipated match is set to kick off at 9:00 PM on Tuesday evening at the Groupama Stadium in Décines.

Lyon faces a critical challenge. Having suffered a narrow 2-1 defeat in the first leg in Prague last week, Paulo Fonseca’s squad must secure at least a two-goal margin to avoid the agony of extra time—or worse, an early exit. The European football governing body has opted for a seasoned official to oversee this decisive encounter.

At 45, Szymon Marciniak is no stranger to high-stakes football. The Polish referee, renowned for his composure under pressure, arrives in Lyon with an impressive resume. His crowning achievement came in 2022 when he officiated the World Cup final, cementing his reputation as one of the most authoritative figures in the sport.

The ol’s complex history with the polish referee

Marciniak’s appointment at Groupama Stadium will undoubtedly stir memories among Lyon faithful. This will mark his fifth appearance in an Olympique Lyonnais fixture, though not all encounters have left a positive mark.

His most recent involvement with the club was far from pleasant. In 2019, he was at the center of the 5-1 thrashing Lyon endured at Camp Nou, a match that remains etched in the club’s history for all the wrong reasons. However, his earlier encounters with Lyon were more favorable. In 2017, he was the man in the middle for Lyon’s 3-1 victory over Ajax Amsterdam in the Europa League—a result that, unfortunately, wasn’t enough for qualification. His other two matches as referee for Lyon ended in narrow defeats: 1-0 to Juventus in 2016 and 2-1 against Viktoria Plzen in 2014.