The reason assistant referee Alessandro Giallatini broke into tears moments after Aston Villa's dramatic 3-2 victory over RB Leipzig has been uncovered. The 49-year-old was seen weeping and sharing an emotional exchange with Leipzig manager Marco Rose during the post-match handshakes in Germany.
Giallatini officiated Villa's latest Champions League win, marked by Ross Barkley's deflected goal in the 85th minute, which propelled Unai Emery's team to third place in the standings and strengthened their bid for automatic qualification to the knockout stage following earlier goals from John McGinn and Jhon Duran.
But while the Villans celebrated their triumph by making their way over to the travelling supporters, the assistant official - who helped Maurizio Mariani dish out three yellow cards throughout the night - could be seen dealing with emotions of a different kind.
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Giallatini was moved to tears as the final whistle at the Red Bull Arena marked his final game as an official. The 49-year-old has been a regular on European and international circuits for a number of years. The Italian is a Serie A official and helped oversee almost 170 matches during his time on the sidelines.
At the end of the match, Giallatini was visibly emotional, shedding tears as players and staff from both teams exchanged handshakes. Leipzig manager Marco Rose warmly embraced him, and he was also seen conversing with Rose and Aston Villa defender Pau Torres.
Several of Giallatini's fellow officials expressed their admiration and gratitude, recognising the occasion as the final match of his career. Giallatini’s impressive career also includes officiating in 31 Champions League games and 11 Europa League matches. He also served as an assistant referee in three matches at the 2022 World Cup and four at Euro 2024.
It's an end of an era for the referee. But for Villa, the show must go on, and with their next three Premier League fixtures coming in the form of Nottingham Forest, Manchester City, and Newcastle United, their winter schedule shows no signs of getting any easier.