Who is Slavko Vinčić, referee for Real Madrid vs Benfica Champions League second leg?

UEFA has appointed Slovenian referee Slavko Vinčić to take charge of Wednesday’s second leg between Real Madrid and Benfica in the Champions League playoff round, with kickoff set for 3:00 p.m. ET at the Santiago Bernabéu.

For the official from Maribor, born November 25, 1979, this will be the fourth time he has overseen a game involving the Spanish giants, with two wins and one loss in previous outings.

Under Vinčić, Madrid lifted the European title on June 1, 2024, at Wembley, defeating Borussia Dortmund 2-0 through goals from Dani Carvajal and Vinícius Júnior. He also refereed their 1-0 victory over Juventus in this season’s league phase, settled by a Jude Bellingham strike. The only defeat came at the Bernabéu during the 2024-25 campaign, when Milan won 3-1 on the Paseo de la Castellana.

For Benfica, this will mark the seventh time Vinčić has been in charge. His record with the Portuguese side stands at two wins, three draws and one loss. The disciplinary numbers involving both teams are similar. Madrid have received six yellow cards in his games, with an average of 10 fouls called per game and one penalty awarded in their favor, converted by Vinícius against Milan. Benfica have averaged 12.67 fouls per game under his watch, with 20 yellow cards shown – including two red cards, both for second bookings – and one penalty awarded in their favor. Notably, the Slovenian sent off Gianluca Prestianni during the most recent Club World Cup in Benfica’s defeat to Chelsea, dismissing the winger for two fouls committed within a minute.

Vinčić is widely experienced in international competitions, though his résumé carries a blemish stemming from a 2020 police raid in a cabin area near Bijeljina, in northwestern Bosnia and Herzegovina.

The Slovenian, who owns a business, had attended a meeting for commercial purposes when authorities conducted a raid at the site, where weapons, ammunition and drugs were seized from other individuals present. He was detained and taken to a police station for questioning but was ultimately released without charge. Now, he returns to the Bernabéu to officiate what promises to be a tense European night.

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