Maurizio Mariani's appointment for the Crystal Palace and Rayo Vallecano Conference League final is already being picked apart. The Italian referee has never overseen a competitive match involving either club, and his European record points to a cautious style, with one penalty given in seven Champions League matches and one red card shown.
Why Mariani's record is drawing attention
The numbers are part of the reason this has become a talking point before kick-off in Leipzig. Mariani has officiated seven Champions League matches this season and awarded only one penalty, while his only red card in the competition was shown to Luis Diaz of Manchester City in the league phase.
His Conference League sample is small too. The Italian official has overseen only three Conference League fixtures before this final, and his only penalty in the competition came in March 2024 when he awarded one to Maccabi Tel-Aviv in a 6-1 defeat by Olympiacos.
The Spain criticism hangs over the appointment
The wider noise around Mariani comes from Spain, where former referee Eduardo Iturralde Gonzalez has not been shy about his view. Speaking to express.co.uk, he said: "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."
He added: "He might not see a foul depending on where it is, for example, on the edge of the penalty area. Instead of letting the game unfold, he takes the game where he wants, and that's why I don't like it."
That criticism is not proof of bias against Crystal Palace or Rayo Vallecano, and the brief does not say it is. But it does explain why this appointment is being framed as one to watch rather than a quiet procedural call.
The teams' recent form does not settle the question, but it does add a bit more context. Palace arrive with LDDLW in their last five, while Rayo's last five read WWDDW. In the Conference League, Palace's record is 3, while Rayo's is 4, so the final comes with both clubs having already shown they can compete in Europe.
Mariani will have to manage that match without the buffer of a previous competitive fixture involving either side. If the game stays clean, the appointment will probably fade into the background. If it gets tight in the box, the spotlight will only grow.
Written by Jack Mercer with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 1 outlet. How we work →
