Who is Maurizio Mariani, referee for Real Madrid vs Manchester City Champions League Round of 16 first leg?

Real Madrid and Manchester City meet again - the fifth Champions League meeting in as many years between these two clubs. On this occasion, a place in the quarter finals is at stake - and interestingly, the last time that Madrid that failed to make it past this stage, it was City who eliminated them.

Overseeing Wednesday’s first leg at the Bernabeu will be Italian match official Maurizio Mariani, a referee that both clubs know well.

Third encounter with Real Madrid

This will be Mariani’s third time overseeing a Real Madrid game in the Champions League. He previously handled Madrid’s 2–0 win over RB Leipzig in the 2022–23 group stage - his debut in the competition. He also was in charge for last season’s league-phase clash against Lille, where the 15-time European champions fell 1–0 in a game where five Madrid players went into the book.

He has reffed just one City game in the competition - the 5-0 win over Sparta Prague in the 2024/25 group stage at the Etihad.

The 44-year-old official has been a FIFA listed referee since 2019. He has whistled 16 Champions League matches and has been trusted with several major finals, including last year’s U20 World Cup final, where Morocco defeated Argentina 2–0, and the Coppa Italia final between AC Milan and Bologna, which Bologna won 1–0.

When it comes to discipline, Mariani is known for taking no nonsense on the pitch. He’s dished out a total of 67 bookings and sent three players off - including Bayern’s Luis Díaz, who was sent for an early bath in the 1-2 win at PSG in November.

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