08.03.2026 20:52
The announcement that the Spanish referee Jesus Gil Manzano will officiate the Galatasaray-Liverpool match has brought to mind the experienced referee's controversial decision in the past match between Valencia and Real Madrid.
In the UEFA Champions League Round of 16 first match, Galatasaray's representative in England, Liverpool, will be officiated by Spanish referee Jesus Gil Manzano at their home ground.
REFEREE CREW FOR THE BIG MATCH REVEALED
According to a statement from UEFA, the match will start at 20:45 on Tuesday, March 10, at RAMS Park, and it will be managed by Gil Manzano. The experienced referee will be assisted by Angel Nevado and Guadalupe Porras Ayuso from the same country. The fourth official for the match will be Juan Martinez Munuera. Guillermo Cuadra Fernandez will serve as the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) during the match, with Valentin Gomez assisting Fernandez in the VAR room.
HE MADE HEADLINES WITH HIS DECISION IN THE REAL MADRID MATCH
Jesus Gil Manzano was the subject of much debate due to a decision he made during the Valencia - Real Madrid match played on March 2, 2024. In the match that ended 2-2 at Mestalla Stadium, Manzano blew the final whistle during Real Madrid's attack in the 90+9th minute. After the referee's whistle, Jude Bellingham sent the ball into the net, but the goal was not counted. Bellingham, who protested intensely after the incident, was shown a red card, while the Real Madrid bench and coaching staff also entered the field to react to the decision. However, Manzano's decision remained unchanged.