UEFA has announced the referee for the Real Madrid vs. Benfica match at the Estádio da Luz in the first leg of the Champions League round of 16 playoff for the 2026 season.
Frenchman François Letixier will officiate the match, scheduled for next Tuesday, which could be seen as a bad omen for Real Madrid in particular.
In the last three Champions League matches officiated by the Frenchman, Real Madrid failed to secure a victory.
Letixier refereed the second leg of last season’s quarter-final against Arsenal, which Real Madrid lost 2-1. Prior to that, he officiated Liverpool’s 2-0 victory in the fifth round of the Premier League. And before that, Real Madrid drew 3-3 with Manchester City in the first leg of the 2023-24 Champions League quarter-final at the Bernabéu.
Overall, the Frenchman has officiated five Real Madrid matches, with Los Blancos winning two against Chelsea and Napoli, drawing one, and losing two. He issued 12 yellow cards to Real Madrid players but never a red card.
Real Madrid suffered a 4-2 defeat to Benfica in their final Champions League group stage match this season and are now seeking revenge by returning from Portugal with a victory that would make the return leg at the Bernabéu easier and secure their place in the Round of 16.
