Nyon (Switzerland), Jul 21 (IANS): The Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) has announced that Italian Gianluca Rocchi will referee the 2017 UEFA Super Cup between Real Madrid and Manchester United.
The 43-year-old Rocchi has been an international referee since 2008 and is set to take charge of his 73rd UEFA match, which will be held in Skopje, Macedonia, on August 8, UEFA announced on its website on Thursday, reports Efe.
Rocchi officiated at nine European club competition matches in 2016-17, including the UEFA Champions League quarter-finals second leg between Leicester City and Atletico Madrid, and the second leg in the round of 16 between Monaco and Manchester City.
Last season, he also refereed the UEFA Europa League semi-finals first leg between Ajax and Lyon, and was the fourth official at May's UEFA Europa League final in Stockholm.
In the first leg of the Champions League last 16 in 2012 when Rocchi refereed the game between Real Madrid and Manchester City 1-1, he awarded City a controversial penalty, gave a red card to Alvaro Arbeloa, and sent City assistant manager David Platt to the stands.
The Italian official gave out nine yellow cards, five to City and four to Real in that match.