Overview
- UEFA, which confirmed the assignment Sunday, named the English official for Tuesday’s Champions League quarter-final at the Bernabéu.
- This will be Oliver’s fifth European match involving Real Madrid, highlighted by the 2017/18 quarter-final when he awarded a late penalty against Juventus and sent off Gianluigi Buffon for dissent.
- Bayern have won every game in the published sample under Oliver, including victories over Barcelona, Bayer Leverkusen and Flamengo, with Benjamin Pavard sent off against PSG in 2023.
- Several starters are one booking from a ban for the second leg due to prior yellows, including Vinícius Jr., Aurélien Tchouaméni, Jude Bellingham, Kylian Mbappé, Dean Huijsen, Konrad Laimer and Dayot Upamecano.
- Former referees’ chief Keith Hackett said UEFA sees Oliver as an elite pick and would not revisit the European assignment after his recent domestic errors.