A long-time referee in the Champions League has been suspended from European matches following allegations of threatening to kll a player.
Italian referee Fabio Maresca is accused of making such a threat to Kuwait Premier League star Khaled Al Murshed during a match on Friday.
Al Murshed reported that Maresca uttered the words ‘see you next time, I’ll kill you,’ but another player, according to Corriere della Sera, believes Maresca merely said ‘see you next time’ without making any further threats.
As a result, Maresca was removed from his role as the fourth official in a Champions League match between PSV and Sporting Lisbon on Tuesday, which ended in a 1-1 draw.
However, it seems Maresca may escape serious consequences in the country where the incident occurred, as he has insisted the threat was taken as a joke.
The 43-year-old began officiating in Italy’s professional leagues in 2011 and has since been involved in European competitions since 2018.
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