The Zurcher brothers: Twin referees steal the spotlight in Champions League clash
i

The Zurcher brothers: Twin referees steal the spotlight in Champions League clash | Credit: TNT Sports

The Zurcher brothers: Twin referees steal the spotlight in Champions League clash

David Ben 13:51 - 04.10.2024

The Zürcher brothers officiated the game between Feyenoord and Girona in a match produced nine bookings.

In a thrilling UEFA Champions League match that saw Girona host Feyenoord, football fans witnessed a first of its kind with identical twins Benjamin and Marco Zürcher officiating the game. 

The 3-2 victory for Feyenoord at Girona’s Montilivi stadium was full of dramatic moments, including own goals, saved penalties, and a disallowed goal. 

However, the referee twins added a unique twist to the match on Wednesday night.

var widgetLoaderConfig = widgetLoaderConfig || { CDN_URL: 'https://widgets.sportal365.com', APP_LINK: 'desktop', API_URL: 'https://africa.football.api.sportal365.com/', API_KEY: '2f852b4de2f3a5cf3188e74b33087bb4:2c18422f8e826a7d11aeed52edb2449e', LANG: 'en', REQUEST_INTERVAL: 30, ENABLE_BET_SLIP: false, AUTHOR: false, THEME: "light", TOURNAMENT_ORDER: "pulse_nigeria", LINK_OPTIONS_V2: { 'player' : { 'url': '/football/player/{playerId}' }, 'team' : { 'url': '/football/{teamId}' }, 'tournament': { 'url': '/football/competition/{tournamentId}' }, 'match': { 'url' : '/football/match/{matchId}', 'sort': { 'criteria': 'alphabetically', 'direction': 'asc' } }, 'configuration': { 'newWindow': false }, 'standings_tournament': { 'url': '/football/competition/{tournamentId}/standings' } } }; if (!document.querySelector('script[src="https://widgets.sportal365.com/loader.bundle.min.js"]')) { window.setTimeout(function () { let scriptCss = document.createElement('link'); scriptCss.href = 'https://www.pulsesports.ng/css/sport-widgets.css?v=1668785443'; scriptCss.rel = 'stylesheet'; scriptCss.type = 'text/css'; document.body.appendChild(scriptCss); let scriptTag = document.createElement('script'); scriptTag.src = 'https://widgets.sportal365.com/loader.bundle.min.js'; scriptTag.defer = true; scriptTag.onload = function () { window.setTimeout(function () { new SMPWidgetsLoader(widgetLoaderConfig); }, 200); }; document.head.appendChild(scriptTag); }, 0); } else { new SMPWidgetsLoader(widgetLoaderConfig); }

Twin Referees shine in Champions League clash

Zürcher brothers refereed in a Champions League game in midweek |
The Zürcher brothers refereed in a Champions League game in midweek | TNT

The Swiss-born assistant referees, both aged 38, were instrumental in keeping control of a high-stakes and fast-paced game, which included nine bookings.

Hailing from Switzerland, the Zürcher brothers – Marco and Benjamin have officiated together in prestigious competitions like the Swiss Super League and UEFA Nations League. 

Girona vs Feyenoord UCL
Girona vs Feyenoord UCL | IMAGO

Their presence on the pitch caused fans and commentators to do a double-take, adding an extra layer of intrigue to the already action-packed night.

The match itself was a whirlwind, marked by Girona going ahead early, only to see Feyenoord snatch victory with help from two Girona own goals.

The match concluded with Feyenoord’s controversial win, yet the Zürchers' composed officiating under pressure stood out as a highlight.