Poland’s Szymon Marciniak will referee the group match between FC Bayern and Benfica Lisbon. It is not his first assignment in this very pairing.
Already in April 2016, Marciniak was assigned to the Bayern vs Benfica match at the Allianz Arena, when the two teams met in the quarter-final first leg. The FCB won 1:0 through an early goal by Arturo Vidal Marciniak received the kicker grade 3.0. A 2:2 draw in the second leg took the Munich side – then under Pep Guardiola – to the semi-finals, where they lost out to Atletico Madrid.
The 40-year-old referee also presided over a match with German participation last season: RB Leipzig’s 2-1 victory over Paris St. Germain in the group stage.
For Bayern striker Robert Lewandowski, the refereeing appointment means his anniversary match will be officiated by a compatriot. The reigning world footballer is about to make his 100th Champions League appearance.
