SOCCER
Who is Espen Eskas, the referee for Manchester United - Bayern in the Champions League?
Eskas will run the rule over the matchday-six clash in Champions League Group A, as United attempt to join Bayern in the knockout stages.
Norway’s Espen Eskas will be the match referee at Old Trafford today, as Manchester United bid to sneak into the Champions League knockout stage.
United head into matchday six sitting bottom of Group A and with their qualification fate out of their hands. Erik ten Hag’s men not only have to beat already-through Bayern Munich, but must also hope that the group’s other game, between Copenhagen and Galatasaray, ends in a draw.
You'll be able to stream United vs Bayern live on fuboTV, which offers a free trial.
Espen Eskas: the lowdown
Eskas, who has been a referee in the top flight of Norwegian men’s soccer since 2015, will be taking charge of only the third match of his career in the Champions League proper.
A FIFA international referee since 2017, the 35-year-old made his debut in Europe’s elite club competition in October 2022, overseeing RB Leipzig’s 3-1 group-stage win over Celtic in Germany. In September this year, Eskas then ran the rule over Real Madrid’s 1-0 home victory over Union Berlin, on the opening matchday of this season’s round-robin phase.
Yet to show a red card in Europe
So far, the Norwegian has shown two yellow cards in each of his Champions League run-outs, and is yet to send any players off.
Indeed, Eskas hasn’t dismissed a single player in any of Europe’s three major men’s club competitions. This is despite the fact that he also has nine appearances to his name across the Europa League and Europa Conference League.
Appointed to major age-group international finals
In international soccer, Eskas’ most significant assignment to date was England’s 1-0 win over Spain in July’s European Under-21 Championship final.
Memorably, he did have to use his red cards in that game: he showed second yellows to England’s Morgan Gibbs-White and Spain’s Antonio Blanco after a major melee between the teams, in the wake of a last-gasp Spanish penalty miss.
Eskas was also handed this month’s Under-17 World Cup final, in which Germany edged out France on penalties after a 2-2 draw in Indonesia.
See also:
Who are Espen Eskas’ assistant referees for Man Utd vs Bayern?
Eskas’ assistant referees at Old Trafford will be compatriots Jan Erik Engan and Isaak Elias Bashevkin. The fourth official will be Rohit Saggit, also Norwegian.
Who is the VAR for Man Utd vs Bayern?
The Netherlands’ Pol van Boekel will be the video assistant referee (VAR), and fellow Dutchman Clay Ruperti will be the assistant VAR.