Marco Di Bello, an Italian referee who was recently sanctioned with a suspension in Serie A, has been appointed to the officiating team for the upcoming Champions League match between Real Madrid and RB Leipzig this Wednesday.

The controversy surrounding Di Bello escalated after he issued red cards to three Lazio players during their 1-0 defeat to Milan last Friday.

The first expulsion came when Luca Pellegrini received his second yellow for a cynical foul on Christian Pulisic during a counter-attack, despite Pellegrini’s expectation of an offside call that never came.

Adam Marusic was the next to be sent off in the closing minutes for a mild yet frustrated push on Rafael Leao, a reaction that Di Bello deemed excessive, resulting in a red card. Shortly after, Matteo Guendouzi was also dismissed for pulling down Pulisic following a foul.

Despite the controversial decisions leading to a one-month ban from Serie A, with a potential demotion to Serie B upon his return, Di Bello has been selected to serve as the fourth official in the crucial second-leg clash in the Champions League, where Real Madrid hold a 1-0 advantage over RB Leipzig from the first leg, thanks to Brahim Diaz’s remarkable goal.

The main officiating duties will be handled by referee Davide Massa, with Filippo Meli and Stefano Alassio as assistant referees, and Massimiliano Irrati overseeing the VAR.

This season, Real Madrid has found itself at the center of several officiating controversies, including a contentious moment in their recent 2-2 draw against Valencia, where referee Jesus Gil Manzano ended the game just seconds before Jude Bellingham believed he had scored a winning goal.

Pique reacts to referee’s decision to cancel Real Madrid’s goal against Valencia