The referee for Liverpool's opening Champions League encounter with Atletico Madrid has been confirmed, with the chosen official at the center of controversy in his last game with the Reds
PERUGIA, ITALY - AUGUST 08: Referee Davide Massa during FIGC - AIA Referee Shooting on August 08, 2026 in Cascia near Perugia, Italy. (Photo by Giuseppe Bellini - FIGC-AIA via Getty Images)
Davide Massa will take charge of Liverpool's Champions League game against Atletico Madrid(Image: Getty Images)
A familiar face has been appointed for Liverpool’s opening Champions League game this season, with tomorrow’s referee having found himself at the center of controversy the last time he officiated the Reds.
Liverpool kicks off its European campaign against Atletico Madrid on Wednesday - the second year in a row in which the Reds have had to face the Spanish side during the opening round of the league phase.
Andoni Iraola will take charge of his first Champions League game with the Reds, and will be hoping his side picks up where it left off after picking up their first win of the season at Ipswich on Friday.
Ahead of the game, Italian official David Massa has been confirmed as the referee at Anfield. He will be assisted by Filippo Meli and Alessio Berti, with Matteo Marcenaro acting as fourth official, while Marco Di Bello and Daniele Chiffi are on VAR duties.
Massa has only taken charge of a Liverpool game once previously, although it proved to be a memorable encounter, with the Reds grabbing a 1-0 victory at Paris Saint-Germain in the first leg of their last-16 tie in 2025 thanks to Harvey Elliott’s late goal.
The game wasn’t without its controversy, and Massa found himself at the center of it when Ibrahima Konate appeared to push Bradley Barcola in the penalty area midway through the first half at the Parc des Princes. No foul was given by either the on-field referee or VAR though, and Konate escaped a potential red card.
Davide MASSA Referee with Virgil VAN DIJK of Liverpool and MARQUINHOS of PSG during the UEFA Champions League match between Paris and Liverpool at Parc des Princes on March 5, 2025 in Paris, France. (Photo by Hugo Pfeiffer/Icon Sport via Getty Images)
Davide Massa found himself at the center of controversy during Liverpool's meeting with PSG in 2025(Image: Getty Images)
Footage from French broadcaster Canal Plus (as per ESPN) showed PSG’s sporting director Luis Campos screaming at Massa for not awarding the penalty or a red card at half-time. Campos is said to have berated the referee as he walked down the tunnel, repeatedly shouting: “It’s a red card or penalty in every part of the world.”
Former Liverpool boss Arne Slot though was much more complimentary of Massa, saying after the game: "It's not easy if you are a referee in a game like this when the fans are so there for the home team.
"I don't feel he was in favor of us or in favor of them, I think he was a top referee in a game like this."
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If Liverpool’s last encounter with Atletico is anything to go by, Massa might be kept busy again at Anfield.
Atletico boss Diego Simeone was sent off at the end of last year’s opener, having clashed with Liverpool fans behind the away dugout after Virgil van Dijk’s late winner.
"They insult you all game long behind the bench, and you can't respond because you're the manager," Simeone claimed after the game.
"My reaction to the insult isn't justifiable, but it's not easy to endure being insulted for 90 minutes. Hopefully, Liverpool can improve, and when they find the person who did it, there will be consequences.”