Sunday, April 25, 2021 at 10:56 AM• Rian Rosendaal • Last update: 11:13

Again good news for Danny Makkelie. The Dutch arbitrator has been appointed by UEFA for the squatter between Real Madrid and Chelsea in the semi-finals of the Champions League. Both clubs will meet on Tuesday at the Alfredo Di Stéfano, with the return in London on Wednesday 5 May. A few days ago it was announced that Makkelie will be active as a referee at the European Championship this summer.

Makkelie played seven times before in the billions ball this season. In the group stage, he was the referee in the match between Juventus and Barcelona coach Ronald Koeman. In the quarter finals of the Champions League, he was responsible for the return match between Real and Atalanta. Shortly afterwards The Royal in a European context thus again to do with Makkelie. Hessel Steegstra and Jan de Vries will assist him in the Spanish capital. Kevin Blom and Jochem Kamphuis are respectively VAR and assistant VAR in Madrid. Orel Grinfeeld from Israel is the fourth official.

For Makkelie, the many years of collaboration with assistant referee Mario Diks recently came to an end. There was a fuss during the most recent international match over the goal of Cristiano Ronaldo on behalf of Portugal that was not awarded by Makkelie and Diks, while the ball appeared to be clearly over the line. The reigning European champion therefore dropped two points against Serbia (2-2). Makkelie apologized to Portugal, kicked Diks out of his team and appointed De Vries as his replacement.

Makkelie is now also in preparation for the European Championship that starts on June 11. It will be his first major final tournament as a referee. He has never whistled at a European or World Cup before, but he does have experience in the Nations League. Colleague Björn Kuipers, the other Dutch arbitrator on this summer’s final round, already whistled at the 2012 and 2016 European Championships, the 2014 and 2018 World Cups and also the 2013 and 2017 Confederations Cup. tournament for the 47-year-old Kuipers, but UEFA asked him if he wanted to continue.