Daniele Orsato, this is the Chelsea referee – Real Madrid

Daniele Orsato (Vicenza, 45 years old) will be the referee who directs the second leg of the semifinals between Chelsea and Real Madrid. This year, the Italian has not been in big matches and it seemed that he was not having a good time. Last year, however, it was his year, reaching the final of the Champions League between Bayern Munich and PSG.

He is a referee that holds the cards a lot and is quite irregular in the areas: it is not to call penalties if he does not see it very clearly. He will be assisted in the VOR room by the one who is considered one of the best VARs today: Massimiliano Irrati. He will be accompanied by his compatriots Alessandro Giallatini and Fabiano Preti as assistant referees.

Also, Orsato is an old acquaintance for both sets. He has directed Madrid on three occasions: the first, against Swedish Malmö, in the 2015-16 campaign. It was the last game of the league phase and the whites thrashed the Nordics with a resounding 8-0. The second was another triumph: this time against Galatasaray in the 19-20 campaign. The whites won 0-1 with a goal from Kroos and a recital by Courtois under the sticks. The third was worse: it was the defeat against Manchester City (1-2) in the last European game that has been played at the Bernabéu for now. That day, the madridistas protested the first goal citizen by a push from Gabriel Jesús on Ramos and sent off the captain in the set that would determine the tie with a direct red and a penalty in another fall of the Brazilian.

He has led Chelsea four times, with two victories (0-1 against Sparta Prague in the 2012-13 Europa League and 2-0 against Atleti in the round of 16 this season), a draw (1-1 in home of Maribor) and a defeat (1-2 of Basel).

Orsato will not get the game out of hand, without being an interventionist. The only but is that he usually has doubts in potentially difficult plays. I think it is a very good appointment for this very important game.