Collina answers your Facebook, Twitter questions

Pierluigi Collina took charge of some of the biggest fixtures in football during a distinguished career and has now been answering your questions from around the world via Facebook and Twitter. The 52-year-old Italian is currently deploying his vast experience as UEFA's chief refereeing officer but found time to reveal the biggest influence on his career, the best goal he saw live and the stadium in which he dreamt of refereeing. Watch the video above for all of Collina's answers to a selection of your questions.

UEFA Champions League Facebook user, Kimmo Neitola: Mr Collina, have you ever felt intimidated after giving your decision for a goal, card, etc.?

Pierluigi Collina: No. It's not easy to intimidate me. I am joking, of course!

UEFA Champions League Facebook user, Stephen Catchpole: What's the most ridiculous excuse a player offered you to stop you booking him for a foul?

Collina: Sometimes players are very creative in finding an excuse. I will write a book sooner or later to mention some of the excuses but some of them were very funny.

@Kevv92, from the Republic of Ireland: What advice would you give to a young aspiring referee looking to replicate your success in refereeing?

Collina: I don't think someone should aim to replicate what someone else has done, everyone should be themselves. The only way to reach the top in football as a referee is to work hard and be ready to make big sacrifices because this is the only way to be successful and achieve success.

@ChrisH1994_, from Australia: Is there a stadium in the world that you wish you could have refereed at but never got the chance?

Collina: There are some but I've been very lucky because I have been in some wonderful stadiums. I never refereed at La Bombonera in Buenos Aires, but I have seen Boca matches and the emotion at the stadium is very intense. So probably this is the one where I dreamt of refereeing.

@Jambo_D, from England: What is the best goal that you witnessed someone score in a game you were refereeing? Ronaldinho at Stamford Bridge?

Collina: Live, the one that probably impressed me most was Ronaldinho at Stamford Bridge. The match was Chelsea v Barcelona and he scored in a very strange way using the point of his foot to find the corner of the goal from outside the penalty area. He shot when nobody was expecting it so this was one of the best.

A Tweet from Denmark, @Casper-Thorsoe: What do you think is the biggest challenge for the referees in the next five years?

Collina: Football is changing and becoming faster. It's also becoming more difficult for the referees. So the challenge is to be educated to this standard, to continue or to try to be at the same standard. It will not be easy but the referees will do it.