Who is Halil Umut Meler, the referee for Real Madrid vs Braga in the Champions League?

Turkish referee Halil Umut Meler will take charge of Real Madrid’s Champions League clash with Braga today, as Los Blancos look to secure last-16 qualification with two games to spare in Group C.

Madrid will confirm their spot in the knockout stages if they win or draw against Braga, who they beat 2-1 in Portugal two weeks ago.

Who is Halil Umit Meler?

A FIFA-listed referee since 2017, Meler will be overseeing the ninth Champions League game of his career, having made his competition debut in Manchester City’s 3-0 group-stage win over Marseille in December 2020.

He had an eventful evening in his only other Champions League run-out this season, awarding two penalties and sending a player off in RB Salzburg’s 2-0 matchday-one victory over Benfica.

So far, Meler has not refereed beyond the tournament’s last 16, but he has been given assignments at later stages of the continent’s second and third-tier competitions.

Among his 11 matches in the Europa League is Juventus’ 1-0 quarter-final first-leg victory over Sporting CP last term, while his two appearances in the Europa Conference League include West Ham’s semi-final first leg against AZ Alkmaar in May, which the Londoners won 2-1.

This will be the first time that the Turk has refereed a game involving either Real Madrid or Braga.

Who is the VAR for Real Madrid vs Braga?

Italy’s Massimiliano Irrati is set to be the video assistant referee (VAR), while Turkey’s Alper Ulusoy will be the assistant VAR.

Real Madrid vs Braga: when, where, how to watch?

Real Madrid and Braga’s Champions League Group C matchday-four fixture is to be played today, Wednesday 8 November 2023, with kick-off at the Santiago Bernabéu scheduled for 3pm ET/12 noon PT.

Broadcast by ViX and Paramount+ in the US, the game is available on the online platform fuboTV, which offers users a free trial.

Enjoy Real Madrid vs Braga on fubo.