Suspended in Serie A, top in the Champions League » What a game the referee who invented a penalty against Inter has!
Article by Daniel Scorpie – Published on Monday, 03 November 2025, 18:11 / Updated on Monday, 03 November 2025 18:15
Maurizio Mariani, the referee who was proven wrong in Napoli's 3-1 Inter derby by awarding a spot-kick in favor of Napoli, has been banned from officiating for at least two legs in Serie A. Instead, UEFA has delegated him to this week's biggest Champions League group game, PSG v Bayern Munich.
It does not happen only in Romania that referees who commit serious errors in the domestic competition, such as Istvan Kovasc, Marcel Bârsan, Marian Barbu and Horațiu Feșnic, immediately receive matches from European cups or international matches, UEFA not taking into account whether they are sanctioned in their countries of origin.
And in Italy, the press was deeply surprised by the decision of the forum in Nyon ca the most interesting match of the 4th stage of the Champions League, between the European champion PSG and the Bundesliga Bayern, to be led by Maurizio Mariani. He is the referee to whom FIFA entrusted the final of the last U20 World Championship last month, between Argentina and Morocco.
Di Lorenzo tries to convince Maurizio Mariani that it was not a foul / Photo: Imago
12matches managed by Maurizio Mariani in the Champions League, of which 7 last season. The 43-year-old “central” has played 171 games in Serie A
The referee of the U20 World Cup final, who also led Romania's match in Austria (1-2), was “demoted” to Serie B!
The 43-year-old “central”, who whistled a tough duel from the first round, Liverpool – Atletico 3-2, will make the rules of the game at Parc des Princes on Tuesday evening, from 22:00 (live text on GSP.ro and live on Digi Sport 1 and Prima Sport 1).
The same Mariani caused the first big scandal of the season in Serie A, giving a shot from 11 meters to 0-0, on “Diego Maradona” in the match Napoli – Inter, in the ball duel between Di Lorenzo and Mkhitaryan, as a result of which the Armenian was injured and was replaced. And Antonio Conte's side powered their way to a 3-1 victory.
Maurizio Mariani led the match Austria – Romania 2-1 in the WC 2026 preliminaries / Photo: Imago
The penalty awarded in the Mkhitaryan – Di Lorenzo duel was a mistake and presents a major procedural flaw. In recent years, we've tried to turn the assistants into mini-referees, but Bindoni's involvement goes beyond what I asked for. And I would have expected a phase review on the pitchside monitor
Gianluca Rocchithe president of the Commission of Italian Referees
As such, Rocchi suspended him and Maurizio Mariani was absent from the intermediate stage and last weekend's. He was “demoted” to Serie B, where he whistled on Saturday at Sampdoria – Cesena 1-2.
