Controversial referee Marco Di Bello will take part in Real Madrid’s Champions League against RB Leipzig, despite his recent suspension in Serie A.
The 42-year-old Italian official produced one of the worst refereeing displays in recent memory during Lazio’s 1-0 loss to Milan on Friday evening, completely losing control of the match as he brandished 11 yellow cards and three red cards, completely derailing the game.
Di Bello was widely criticised by all corners of the Italian press and his poor work earnt him a lengthy ban in Serie A, which could see him out of action for at least a month. There are also rumours that he’ll only return to Serie B once his suspension comes to an end.
As announced by UEFA via TMW, Di Bello will be part of an all-Italian officiating team for the upcoming Champions League match between Real Madrid and RB Leipzig on March 6th, despite his recent antics and resulting suspension in Serie A.
The 42-year-old will be the fourth official in the game, with Davide Massa leading the officiating team on the pitch. Stefano Alassio and Filippo Meli will be the two assistant referees, whilst Massimiliano Irrati and Paolo Valeri will oversee the VAR.
Di Bello has already come under fire this season, having been suspended for one month in the early weeks of the season after a poor outing in Juventus’ draw with Bologna in late August.