Halil Umut Meler is the referee appointed for Napoli-Rangers in the Champions League Group A. Here’s a profile of the Turkish official.
The Partenopei have already secured a spot in the Round of 16 but must extend their winning streak to win their group ahead of Liverpool.
They host Rangers at the Stadio Maradona tonight at 20.00 UK time with the Turkish referee Halil Umut Meler in charge.
The 36-year-old doesn’t have much international experience, having only refereed five Champions League matches in his career, including one this season.
He is a slightly more regular presence in Europa League, where he has overseen 16 matches. Nevertheless, he is one of the most trusted referees in Turkey, having officiated 142 Super Lig matches plus 14 in the Türkiye Kupasi, the domestic cup in the country.
Stats show that Meler is quite a strict referee, having shown 1277 yellow cards and straight red in 262 matches in professional football.
The only time he was appointed for a match involving a Serie A club in Europe was in 2018-19 when Simone Inzaghi’s Lazio lost 2-1 against Feyenoord in Europa League.
Meler’s compatriot Abdulkadir Bitigen will be in charge of VAR, while Mustafa Emre Eyisoy and Cevdet Kömürcüoglu are his assistants.