UEFA has appointed the referee of the semi-final return of Champions League PSG/Arsenal and it is an inexperienced German at this stage of the competition and in the sulphurous past that was chosen.
While UEFA chose the experienced Polish referee Szymon Marciniak for the semi-final return of Champions League between Inter Milan and FC Barcelona this Tuesday evening, the European body has appointed German Felix Zwayer For the return match between PSG and Arsenal this Wednesday evening at the Parc des Princes.
A 43-year-old referee that PSG already knows since it was Felix Zweyer who was at the whistle during the 7-2 victory of PSG against Maccabi Haïfa in October 2022 (he had given a yellow to challenge Neymar, see photo illustration of the article, and to Sergio Ramos following a tackle) as well as during the 2-2 draw against Naples in October 2018.
An inexperienced referee in the semi-finals and sentenced in 2005 for corruption
If Felix Zwayer has also arbitrated Arsenal three times in his career (for two victories of the Gunners and a draw), his appointment for the PSG/Arsenal shock is somewhat surprising insofar as this referee has never led a semi-final of Champions League, or a quarter-final (and even less a C1 final).
This referee was also involved at the start of his career in a rigged matches scandal. Touche referee at the time, Zwayer was sentenced in 2005 to six months of corruption suspension, following a matched matches in the third German division. A case that did not prevent him from becoming an international arbitrator then.
In Champions League, the German is not a novice either since he has already arbitrated six eighth finals, notably a Real Madrid/Liverpool in March 2023 or more recently the Benfica/Barça (0-1) of March 5, 2025. Felix Zwayer was also in the whistle during the League of Nations final won in June 2023 by Spain of Fabian Ruiz Croatia.
