Clément Turpin Appointed Referee for Manchester City vs. Real Madrid Champions League Tie
UEFA has confirmed that French referee Clément Turpin will officiate the second leg of the Champions League Round of 16 match between Manchester City and Real Madrid. The highly anticipated fixture is scheduled to take place at the Etihad Stadium on Tuesday, March 17, 2026, with a kickoff time of 9:00 PM CEST (3:00 PM EST).
Turpin’s History with Real Madrid and Manchester City
This appointment marks the eleventh time Turpin will referee a match involving Real Madrid in the Champions League. He has previously officiated the following Real Madrid matches in the competition:
- Real Madrid 4-0 Ludogorets (Group Stage, 2014/15)
- Roma 0-2 Real Madrid (Group Stage, 2018/19)
- Real Madrid 3-2 Inter (Group Stage, 2020/21)
- Chelsea 1-3 Real Madrid (Quarterfinals First Leg, 2021/22)
- Liverpool 0-1 Real Madrid (Final, 2021/22)
- Napoli 2-3 Real Madrid (Group Stage, 2023/24)
- Bayern Munich 2-2 Real Madrid (Semifinals First Leg, 2023/24)
- Manchester City 2-3 Real Madrid (Playoffs preceding Round of 16 First Leg, 2024/25)
- Real Madrid 2-1 Atlético (Round of 16 First Leg, 2024/25)
- Real Madrid 1-2 Manchester City (Group Stage, 2025/26)
Turpin has also officiated eight matches involving Manchester City. His experience in European football is considerable, and UEFA appears confident in his ability to manage this crucial encounter.
Match Details
- Date: March 17, 2026
- Time: 21:00 CET / 3:00 PM EST
- Venue: Etihad Stadium, Manchester, UK
- TV (Spain): Movistar Liga Campeones
- Streaming (USA): Paramount+, DAZN, Amazon Prime Video
The officiating team will also include Nicolas Danos and Benjamin Pages as assistant referees, with Willy Delajod serving as the fourth official. Jérôme Brisard will be responsible for Video Assistant Referee (VAR) duties, assisted by Bastian Dechepy.