Azernews.Az

Laman Ismayilova

Read more

The UEFA Champions League play-off second leg between Newcastle United and Qarabağ FK will be overseen by a team of experienced officials from Italy, AzerNEWS reports.

The match will be refereed by renowned FIFA official Davide Massa, who will be assisted by Filippo Meli and Stefano Alassio as the assistant referees, while Luca Pairetto will serve as the fourth official.

In the video assistant referee (VAR) booth, Daniele Chiffi will take charge, with German referee Christian Dingert assisting him.

The match is scheduled to take place at St James' Park on the night of February 24–25, kicking off at midnight Baku time. In the first leg, Newcastle secured a commanding 6-1 victory over Qarabag, leaving the Azerbaijani side with a challenging task in the return fixture.

This game promises to be a high-stakes encounter as Qarabag looks to mount a comeback in front of Newcastle's passionate home crowd.

The UEFA Champions League is a continental tournament that brings together the best teams from Europe's top domestic leagues.

It is widely regarded as the pinnacle of club football, attracting millions of fans worldwide.

Clubs from UEFA's member countries compete for the title, which is seen as the ultimate achievement for European club teams.

The format of the UEFA Champions League has evolved over time.

The current structure includes several stages: Qualifying Rounds, Group Stage, Knockout Rounds and Final.

The 2025–26 UEFA Champions League marks the 71st edition of Europe's top club football competition, and the 34th since it was rebranded from the European Cup to the UEFA Champions League.

The final will take place on May 30, 2026, at the Puskás Aréna in Budapest, Hungary.