Who is Sandro Scharer, referee for PSG vs Bayern Munich? Champions League semifinal 1st leg

The Swiss referee Sandro Schärer, who will be assisted by an entirely Spanish officiating team, has been appointed to oversee Tuesday’s first leg of the Champions League semifinal between Paris Saint-Germain and Bayern Munich. It’s what many people consider the final that should have been, as these two heavyweights have proven themselves the form teams.

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Schärer will be joined on the sidelines by Ángel Nevado and Guadalupe Porras as assistant referees, while Jesús Gil Manzano will serve as the fourth official. The VAR team will consist of Carlos del Cerro Grande and Guillermo Cuadra Fernández, completing a fully Spanish support crew around the Swiss referee.

At 37, Schärer has been a FIFA international referee since 2015 and has steadily built a reputation on the European stage. He previously officiated the 2024 UEFA Super Cup, where Real Madrid defeated Atalanta 2-0, and the 2025 UEFA Nations League final, in which Portugal overcame Spain in a penalty shootout.

His rise through the refereeing ranks has been rapid and consistent. After completing his referee training in 2005, he was already officiating in Switzerland’s Challenge League by 2011 at just 23. Two years later, he made his debut in the Swiss Super League.

On the international stage, Schärer began with youth tournaments, including qualifiers for the 2015 UEFA Under-17 European Championship, before stepping into senior European competition that same year in the Europa League. His first senior international match came in 2017, when he took charge of a friendly between Italy and San Marino.

He made his Champions League debut in October 2020, officiating a group stage match between Barcelona and Ferencváros, becoming the first Swiss referee to do so since 2011. Since then, he has become a regular presence in UEFA competitions, including Europa League group stages and Champions League qualifiers.

Fingers crossed no one is interested in this article due to the fact that there is no controversy and the game is decided simply by top-notch stars doing their thing.

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