Collina booked for Gothenburg
Monday, May 17, 2004
Article summary
Pierluigi Collina will referee the UEFA Cup final between Valencia CF and Olympique de Marseille.
Article body
Another honour
The appointment is another honour for the 44-year-old match official from Bologna. Collina took charge of the 2002 FIFA World Cup final between Germany and Brazil in Yokohama, the 1999 UEFA Champions League final between Manchester United FC and FC Bayern München in Barcelona, and the 1996 Olympic Games final between Nigeria and Argentina in Athens, United States.
Italian team
His assistant referees will be Marco Ivaldi and Narciso Pisacreta, while the fourth official will be Roberto Rosetti. All three are also from Italy.
93rd international match
Although this will be his 93rd international match, Collina had not crossed paths with Valencia until their 0-0 Champions League semi-final draw at Leeds United AFC in 2000/01. He has not met the Spanish side since. His first contact with Marseille was in Spain, when they drew 0-0 with RC Celta in Vigo on 16 March 1999. He then encountered Marseille at the Stade Vélodrome in November of the same year when they drew their Champions League match against NK Dinamo Zagreb 2-2. He will meet the French club for the third time in Gothenburg. Collina's most recent match in UEFA club competitions was the Champions League semi-final between RC Deportivo La Coruña and FC Porto.
"Tremendous honour"
"It's a tremendous honour," said Collina. "Having been chosen for three previous finals, I thought that was the end of my appointments for such matches. If you are called for an important match, you are excited, and I still enjoy refereeing and preparing for such games." Collina is also a member of the team of 12 referees who have been chosen to take charge of matches at the UEFA EURO 2004™ final round in Portugal.
