UEFA has announced the officiating crew for the upcoming match between ML Vitebsk and Universitatea Craiova, marking the Romanian champions’ debut in the prestigious Champions League. The match will be officiated by Bosnian referee Luka Bilbija, 37 years old.
Bilbija will be assisted on the sidelines by countrymen Stefan Tesanovic and Marko Peric, while Antonio Tomic will serve as the fourth official. In the VAR room, Antoni Bandic will be supported by Nihad Ljajic.
The match is scheduled for Wednesday, July 8, at 20:00. Although Vitebsk is the designated home team, the match will take place at a neutral venue in Hungary due to the inability of Belarusian clubs to host international matches amid sanctions related to the conflict in Ukraine.
The game will be broadcast live on Prima Sport 1 and Digi Sport 1, with live updates available on GSP.ro.
Luka Bilbija to Officiate ML Vitebsk vs. Universitatea Craiova
Luka Bilbija brings extensive experience to the fixture, having officiated in European competitions last season, including matches such as Cherno More vs. Bașakșehir (0-1) and Vikingur vs. Linfield (2-1) during the Conference League qualifiers.
Previously, Bilbija has refereed two matches involving Romanian teams. He officiated the Romanian U21 national team’s victory over Finland (1-0) on October 17, 2023, and Farul Constanța’s away win against Flora Tallinn (2-0) on August 16, 2023, in the Conference League qualifiers.
Craiova Could Face Bosnian Rival in Second Round
If Universitatea Craiova overcomes ML Vitebsk, they will advance to the second round of the Champions League, where they are set to face the winner of the match between Borac Banja Luka (Bosnia) and Levski Sofia (Bulgaria).
The Oltenians are expected to play the first leg of the second round away. The first leg matches are scheduled for July 21/22, with return matches set for July 28/29.
