German referee who served six-month ban for bribery to officiate PSG v Arsenal clash

Gidibam Web2 weeks ago

0 1 2 minutes read

Image credit: Getty Images

German referee Felix Zwayer has been appointed to officiate the high-stakes Champions League semi-final second leg between Paris Saint-Germain and Arsenal on Wednesday night at the Parc des Princes.

The Gunners head into the clash in the French capital trailing 1-0 from last week’s first leg at the Emirates Stadium, where Ousmane Dembélé’s early goal handed PSG a slender lead. Mikel Arteta’s side must now produce a strong performance—either winning by two goals or taking the game to penalties with a one-goal margin—to reach the final in Munich on May 31.

UEFA has confirmed that Zwayer, 43, will take charge of the decisive fixture, with the experienced official leading a full team of referees for the match. While he is widely respected in officiating circles and has overseen 684 matches in his career, Zwayer’s history is not without controversy.

READ MORE: Three injured Arsenal stars return to training ahead PSG clash

In 2005, early in his refereeing career, Zwayer was implicated in a €2 million match-fixing scandal involving fellow referee Robert Hoyzer. He reportedly accepted a €300 bribe while working as Hoyzer’s assistant during one match.

***German Referee Felix Zwayer (Image credit: Getty Images)***

Zwayer, along with two other officials, later came forward to report the misconduct to the German Football Association (DFB). Despite his cooperation, he was handed a six-month suspension—a punishment that remained undisclosed to the public until years later, when Die Zeit revealed the details through leaked DFB documents.

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Since returning to the game, Zwayer has climbed the ranks and officiated at the highest levels, including major international tournaments and Champions League fixtures. He has taken charge of 36 Champions League matches since the 2015/16 season, issuing 193 yellow cards—an average of 5.3 per game—along with six second yellows and three straight red cards. Notably, one of those second yellows and all three red cards have come during the current European campaign.

Despite lingering questions about his past, UEFA continues to entrust Zwayer with top-level matches, and he will now be tasked with managing a fiercely contested battle between two of Europe’s elite sides for a place in the Champions League final.