"Mariani is becoming increasingly controversial": why the choice of referee for PSG-Bayern is causing a stir

The appointment has sparked controversy. Chosen by UEFA to referee the Champions League group stage match between Paris Saint-Germain and Bayern Munich this Tuesday evening (9 pm), Italian Maurizio Mariani is not enjoying the best period of his career. The 43-year-old veteran official was sanctioned by the Italian Football Federation two weeks ago.

Indeed, Mr. Mariani and his assistant Daniele Bindoni have been demoted to Serie B, finding themselves in charge of a bottom-of-the-table clash between Virtus Entella and Empoli on Saturday, November 1st, in front of only 2,500 spectators. The reason: an error made by the duo on October 25th during the Serie A match between Napoli and Inter Milan (3-1).

The Lombardy team had complained about a penalty being awarded to their rivals for a slight foul by Henrikh Mkhitaryan on Giovanni Di Lorenzo in the penalty area. The referee, who initially waved play on, ultimately pointed to the spot based on the judgment of his assistant, without even consulting VAR.

This drew the ire of Gianluca Rocchi, the Italian refereeing chief. He severely criticized Mr. Mariani's decision, his choice to rely on his assistant rather than video replay, and also the lack of foresight of the VAR officials, who did not deem it necessary to call their colleague to review the footage.

Having been sidelined from competition the weekend following that match, the 43-year-old official also faced heavy criticism from the Italian media. "Mariani is becoming increasingly controversial," commented Corriere dello Sport after the Napoli-Inter controversy.

UEFA's choice may therefore have surprised many in Italy, as Maurizio Mariani prepares to officiate one of the most anticipated matches of the early Champions League season. This is especially true given that the Rome native already has a history with a French club in Europe's most prestigious competition. During the playoff match between Monaco and Benfica last February, he outraged the Monaco players by sending off Moatasem al-Musrati after the latter appealed for a yellow card against an opponent.

Last year, Mr. Mariani had already faced PSG in the Champions League, this time without controversy. Under his leadership, Paris defeated Aston Villa (3-1) in the first leg of the quarter-final on April 9th. When questioned about his appointment, Vincent Kompany, the Bayern Munich coach, chose not to add fuel to the fire by avoiding the question at Monday's press conference.