Slovak referee Ivan Kruzliak has been appointed as the main referee for the fourth round match of the Champions League main stage, where Donetsk's Shakhtar will host Lisbon's Sporting. For the 42-year-old referee, this will be far from his first meeting with the 'Pitmen' on the international arena, which gives the appointment additional context. Details can be found in the report by Sport RBC.UA.
Who will officiate the match
Together with Kruzliak, his compatriots Branislav Ganzko and Jan Pozor will work on the match as assistant referees. Responsibility for the video assistant referee (VAR) system will be assigned to Italian referees Marco Di Bello and Daniele Chiffi. Thus, the lines and the video review center will feature officials from two different national associations.
Experience in European tournaments
Kruzliak has years of experience working in European club tournaments and regularly receives appointments for Champions League, Europa League matches, as well as international fixtures of national teams. His stable presence on the UEFA referee list confirms his status as one of the sought-after referees in continental competitions.
How Shakhtar played under his officiating
The Slovak referee has previously officiated European matches of the Donetsk club. In six such games, the 'Pitmen' secured three wins, one draw, and two defeats. Notably, the first three matches under Kruzliak's officiating ended in Shakhtar's victories over Istanbul Başakşehir, Hoffenheim, and Wolfsburg. Afterwards, the team lost to Real Madrid, drew with Feyenoord, and lost to Barcelona.
Transfer background
Special attention should also be paid to the personnel context surrounding the match. It was previously reported that Paulo Fonseca might leave Lyon for Shakhtar's Champions League opponent, Sporting. If the move takes place, it will add an extra storyline to the fourth-round fixture.
