UEFA has appointed French referee Clément Turpin to officiate the Champions League group stage match between Real Madrid and Manchester City.
Turpin’s presence is undoubtedly a good omen for Real Madrid, as the club has an almost spotless record with the Frenchman on the pitch.
This will be Turpin’s tenth time refereeing a Real Madrid match in European competitions, and remarkably, Los Blancos have won eight times, drawn once, and never lost under his watch.
The last Champions League match Turpin officiated for Real Madrid was against Atlético Madrid in the first leg of the round of 16 last season, where Carlo Ancelotti’s team won 2-1.
The Manchester City match will be pivotal for Real Madrid’s season, as another defeat could mean the dismissal of coach Xabi Alonso given the team’s recent poor results and performances.
Turpin’s appointment is controversial in French circles, after he was suspended in the last round due to a serious mistake he made the week before last in the Paris Saint-Germain vs. Monaco match.
