UEFA appoint same Arsenal quarter-final referee as last season

Paris – UEFA have confirmed that French referee François Letexier will take charge of Arsenal’s Champions League quarter-final second-leg meeting with Sporting CP on Wednesday, 12 months after he oversaw the Gunners’ last-eight tie at the identical stage of last season’s competition.

Letexier, 35, will be flanked by compatriots Cyril Mugnier and Mehdi Rahmouni as assistant referees, while Stéphanie Frappart will serve as fourth official to complete an all-French on-field team at the Emirates Stadium. In the video operation room, German official Bastian Dankert will head up VAR duties, supported by Belgian assistant Bram Van Driessche.

The appointment marks a notable slice of symmetry for Mikel Arteta’s side. In the 2022-23 campaign Letexier handled the second leg of Arsenal’s quarter-final at Real Madrid’s Santiago Bernabéu, a fixture the north Londoners won 2-1 on the night. During that encounter the Frenchman pointed to the spot for a first-half penalty that helped Arsenal on their way to victory, a decision that drew largely favourable reviews from supporters.

Wednesday’s assignment will be Letexier’s third time in the middle for Arsenal. After last season’s Bernabéu appointment, he returned to officiate the club’s 2-0 League Phase triumph over Olympiacos in October. His most recent high-profile outing came in Lisbon, where he dismissed Benfica manager José Mourinho for protesting what the Portuguese coach later described as “deliberate” reluctance to caution Real Madrid players teetering on suspension thresholds.

UEFA’s decision to re-appoint Letexier at the quarter-final juncture underlines the Frenchman’s standing among Europe’s elite officials, while offering Arsenal a sense of continuity at a pivotal moment in their continental campaign.