Dutch referee Bjorn Kuipers will take charge of England’s Euro 2020 final against Italy at Wembley with the experienced official previously overseeing seven UEFA finals
Dutch referee Bjorn Kuipers will be the man in the middle for England’s Euro 2020 final against Italy on Sunday, UEFA have confirmed.
The Three Lions continued their momentous journey at the tournament on Wednesday night – beating Denmark 2-1 in extra time after a nailbiting semi-final at Wembley, with Gareth Southgate‘s men marching on to their first ever European Championships showpiece.
It is set to be a momentous occasion and a fierce contest between both sides as they battle it out to become champions of Europe, and Kuipers will be tasked with conducting affairs in what will be his eighth UEFA final.
Dutch referee Bjorn Kuipers will take charge of England’s Euro 2020 final against Italy
Gareth Southgate’s men edged through to the final after a 2-1 extra time win over Denmark
He will be assisted in his team by fellow Dutchmen Sander van Roekel and Erwin Zeinstra, with Spaniard Carlos Del Cerro Grande as the fourth official and German Bastian Dankert as the video assistant referee (VAR).
Kuipers has already taken charge of three games at Euro 2020 this summer – group stage matches between Denmark and Belgium and Spain against Slovakia as well as the quarter-final between Czech Republic and Denmark.
His last big final was the 2018 Europa League clash between Atletico Madrid and Marseille, and also oversaw the Champions League final in 2014 that saw Atletico take on fierce rivals Real Madrid.
England fans hoping for all the good omens they can get ahead of Sunday’s historic game may take solace in knowing Kuipers was in charge when England won the Under-20s World Cup against Venezuela in 2017 – when current Three Lions squad member Dominic Calvert-Lewin scored the winner.
Kuipers has already overseen three matches at the tournament, including Denmark v Belgium
Kuipers caused controversy in May after refereeing Manchester City’s Champions League semi-final win against PSG, with Marco Verratti – who will be lining up for Italy on Sunday – and Leandro Paredes claiming he told them to ‘f*** off’ during the game.
PSG stars had been involved in a few stand-offs with the official during a fiery match at the Etihad, with Angel di Maria shown a red card.
Ander Herrera told RMC that his team-mate Paredes had been told to ‘f*** off’ by Kuipers, and complained that the players would have been hit with a lengthy ban had they said something similar to him.
‘We talk about respect with referees,’ he said. ‘The referee tonight said ‘f*** off’ to Leandro Paredes. It’s incredible. If we say that we get a three-four match ban.’
Kuipers caused controversy in May after Marco Verratti claimed he told him ‘f*** you’ during PSG’s Champions League final loss to Man City
Verratti backed up the claims and insisted he too had been insulted by the official, saying: ‘He said ‘f*** you’ to me… I talk to referees a lot but I never say that or I get a 10-game ban.’
After hearing of his players’ accusations on Tuesday night after their Champions League heartbreak, Mauricio Pochettino urged UEFA to investigate the referee’s actions.
‘They explained to the TV in some interview before, we need to believe in what they are telling us you know,’ Pochettino said in his post-match press conference.
‘But now the most important thing is that we are not in the final. But of course if I didn’t hear nothing from the touchline, if something is there and that is how they explain, maybe UEFA will investigate the situation (sic).’