UEFA has made a major decision ahead of the Europa League final, appointing French referee Francois Letexier to officiate the match between Aston Villa and SC Freiburg in Istanbul on May 20.
Aston Villa's Path to the Final
Aston Villa secured their place in the final after a dominant 4-0 victory over Premier League rivals Nottingham Forest in the second leg at Villa Park, overturning a 1-0 first-leg deficit to win 4-1 on aggregate. Goals from Ollie Watkins, Emi Buendia, and a double from John McGinn sealed the triumph.
SC Freiburg's Route
SC Freiburg booked their spot in the final by defeating Sporting Braga 4-3 on aggregate in a closely contested semi-final.
Referee Appointment Details
UEFA confirmed the referee team for the final, with Francois Letexier taking charge. The 37-year-old French official has been an international referee since 2017 and has overseen eight UEFA Champions League matches this season, including the quarter-final second leg between Arsenal and Sporting CP.
Letexier has extensive experience in high-profile finals. He officiated the UEFA EURO 2024 final between Spain and England, the 2023 UEFA Super Cup between Manchester City and Sevilla, and served as fourth official for the 2024 UEFA Champions League final. He also took charge of four matches at UEFA EURO 2024.
Full Officiating Team
Referee: Francois Letexier (France)
Assistants: Cyril Mugnier and Mehdi Rahmouni (both from France)
4th Official: Alejandro José Hernández Hernández (Spain)
Reserve Assistant Referee: José Enrique Naranjo Pérez (Spain)
VAR: Jérôme Brisard (France)
Assistant VAR: Willy Delajod (France)
VAR Support: Dennis Higler (Netherlands)
The final promises to be a thrilling encounter as both teams aim to lift the trophy in Istanbul.
