As the UEFA Champions League Round of 16 heats up, Tottenham Hotspur faces off against AC Milan in a crucial second leg at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Wednesday. With a place in the quarter finals at stake, both teams will be eager to secure a win and move forward in the competition.
Champions League Referee Clement Turpin:
The match is set to be officiated by French referee Clement Turpin, who has been a FIFA-listed referee since 2010 and has an impressive track record. He has officiated at two World Cups, two European Championships, and several high-profile matches, including the 2021 Europa League final and the 2022 Champions League final between Liverpool and Real Madrid.
Turpin is a seasoned Champions League referee, having overseen 40 fixtures in the competition so far. However, he has only refereed three Tottenham games, with Spurs winning just one of them. This lack of experience with the team could prove to be a challenge, especially considering the feisty encounters that Tottenham and Milan have had in the past.
One of the most memorable clashes between the two teams involved former Tottenham coach Joe Jordan and ex-Milan midfielder Gennaro Gattuso almost coming to blows on the sidelines. As Turpin takes charge of the game, he will be responsible for controlling the intensity and ensuring fair play on both sides.
Interestingly, Turpin has only officiated two Milan games prior to this match. In 2021, he oversaw a draw between Milan and Porto in the Champions League, and before that, he was in charge of Milan's Europa League clash against Arsenal, which saw the Italian team lose 0-2 at home.
In the three games that Turpin has refereed for Tottenham, the Londoners have won once, lost twice, and received a total of five yellow cards. However, they did get one penalty in their favor too. As for Milan, Turpin has officiated for one draw and one loss, with only a single yellow card issued across those two matches.
Conclusion:
Given Turpin's wealth of experience and track record of fair play, fans can expect a thrilling and closely contested match between Tottenham and Milan. With both teams eager to secure a place in the quarter finals, it is sure to be a game that fans will be talking about for years to come.