The appointment of Italian referee Maurizio Mariani for Wednesday's Conference League final between Crystal Palace and Rayo Vallecano has drawn criticism from Spanish football figures. Mariani, 44, from Rome, has previously attracted the ire of Real Madrid supporters after being assigned to their Champions League tie against Manchester City this season.
Former Spanish referee Eduardo Iturralde Gonzalez voiced concerns on Cadena SER, stating: 'Italian referees aren't having a good run right now. He doesn't let the game flow, he prefers to steer it where he wants, and I don't like that kind of refereeing.' Iturralde Gonzalez added that Mariani might overlook fouls depending on location, such as on the edge of the penalty area.
Mariani has officiated three Real Madrid matches previously, including a 3-0 win over Manchester City at the Bernabeu where Fede Valverde scored all three goals. He also awarded a penalty to Real Madrid in that match, though Vinicius Junior failed to convert. In contrast, he gave a match-winning penalty against Real Madrid in a 2024 defeat to Lille.
In the Conference League, Mariani has taken charge of only three matches, awarding one penalty and issuing 11 yellow cards with no reds. The sole spot-kick was for Maccabi Tel-Aviv in a 6-1 loss to Olympiacos in March 2024. Neither Crystal Palace nor Rayo Vallecano have faced Mariani before, and both sides are chasing their first European trophy in Leipzig.
