Why is Turpin the ideal referee for Barça to come back in the Champions League?

BarcelonaThe controversial performance by István Kovács at Camp Nou opened a can of worms. Hansi Flick complained in the post-match about the refereeing errors that, according to the German coach, had influenced the match, and Barcelona filed a formal complaint with UEFA to denounce that the decisions of the Romanian official “affected the development and outcome of the match”. In this scenario of maximum tension, Roberto Rosetti, head of European refereeing, was obliged to bet on a safe bet for the return match at the Riyadh Air Metropolitano. When it comes to saving the furniture, there are 2 names on the table: the Frenchman Clément Turpin and the Pole Szymon Marciniak. The latter, however, refereed the Inter Milan-Barça match in the Champions League semi-finals last season and his performance caused a lot of controversy. Therefore, the choice was practically reduced to a single name: Turpin, who coincidentally already refereed the first leg of the same tie between the Catalans and the Lombards at Montjuïc, which ended 3-3.

It is an appointment based on the Frenchman's vast experience, who has an enviable track record. At 43 years old, he has participated in three European Championships and this summer he is called up for what will be his third World Cup. If the French national team is eliminated before the quarter-finals, his name will reappear among the candidates to referee the World Cup final. The peak of his career came in 2022, when he was chosen to referee the Champions League final between Real Madrid and Liverpool, a year after having refereed the Europa League final between Villarreal and Manchester United.

Clément Turpin: own stamp and low profile

Clément Turpin's prestige has been cultivated thanks to a very sober style in officiating matches. He earns the respect of the players without making a fuss and does not need to overuse cautions to impose his authority. In terms of attitude, he conveys a constant, almost imperturbable calm. He usually stares into the distance when footballers vehemently protest his decisions. For Barcelona, this is a positive appointment as it guarantees refereeing immune to the ambient pressure of the Metropolitano. Turpin is not a referee who is intimidated by the context or the intensity of the crowd, and in a setting like the Mattressers' stadium, this factor can be decisive.

On a technical level, he favors fluid play and often tries to apply the advantage rule to avoid unnecessary interruptions. He allows contact in challenges, but at the same time, he is strict with violent play and protests. It is this balance that makes his performances synonymous with reliability.

What precedents does Barcelona have with Clément Turpin?

Barça has faced Turpin on five occasions, with a record of two wins, one draw, and two defeats that led to eliminations. In the 2017-18 season, the 3-0 loss at Roma's ground eliminated Ernesto Valverde's team from the Champions League semifinals. And in the 2022-23 season, with Xavi Hernández already on the blaugrana bench, the 2-1 at Old Trafford occurred, which knocked Barça out of the Europa League.

Regarding Atlètic de Madrid, the French referee has officiated eight of their matches: three wins, two draws, and two defeats. The most high-profile precedent was the visit of Diego Simeone's team to the Bernabéu to play the first leg of the Champions League round of 16. The Mattress Makers lost 2-1, and in the return leg, the controversial penalty by Julián Álvarez occurred, which was disallowed after VAR determined that the Argentine had touched the ball twice during the execution.

Barça's complaints about István Kovács's refereeing will have served, at the very least, to guarantee the presence of the best possible referee in a match of maximum demand at the Metropolitano.