For the Champions League playoff second leg between Paris Saint-Germain and Brest this Wednesday (9PM CET), Michael Oliver (39 years old) has been appointed as the referee.
The experienced English official has overseen 37 Champions League matches in his career.
He will be assisted by Stuart Burt and James Mainwaring, with Andrew Madley as the fourth official. Michael Salisbury and Peter Bankes will handle VAR.
A Strict Referee with Yellow Cards, but Lenient on Reds
- Yellow Cards: Oliver has a high tendency to issue yellow cards, averaging 4.59 per match in the Champions League, well above the French league average of 3.53.
- Direct Red Cards: He is less severe with straight red cards, showing only 0.05 per match, compared to the French average of 0.17.
- Second Yellow Cards: He is more inclined to send off players for a second yellow, averaging 0.11 per match, slightly above the French average of 0.09.
- Penalties: Oliver awards fewer penalties than the Ligue 1 average, with 0.30 per match compared to 0.34.
PSG’s Record with Michael Oliver
Michael Oliver has never officiated a Brest match, given this is their first Champions League campaign. However, he has refereed PSG four times, with a mixed record:
- Benfica (1-1) – October 2022
- Bayern Munich (0-1 loss) – February 2023
- Real Sociedad (2-1 win) – March 2024
- RB Salzburg (3-0 win) – December 2024
With a tendency for quick yellow cards, PSG and Brest will need to be cautious in their approach to avoid early bookings.
