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Spanish referee Jesús Gil Manzano has been appointed for Thursday’s Europa League semifinal second leg between Atalanta and Marseille. Let’s take a closer look at the Spaniard’s career.

Gil Manzano, 40, is one of the most experienced referees in Europe and his appointment for Atalanta’s home game against Marseille on Thursday seems a good fit given that La Dea can accomplish a historic feat by qualifying for a Europa League Final for the first time ever.

The Spanish official has taken charge of 25 matches involving Serie A clubs and the Azzurri with 14 wins, three draws and eight defeats for Italian teams.

However, Atalanta didn’t win any of the previous two fixtures with the Spaniard in charge. They drew against Borussia Dortmund in the 2017-18 Europa League knockout play-off and lost 4-0 to Dinamo Zagreb in the 2019-20 Champions League group stage. It was a very different Atalanta back then.

Gil Manzano is the Spanish referee assigned for Euro 2024 but has never been appointed for a European or international final.

On May 2023, he officiated the first leg of the Champions League semifinal between Inter and Milan, won 2-0 by the Nerazzurri and he was the fourth official in last season’s Conference League Final between West Ham and Fiorentina, won by the Hammers.

There was controversy the last time he officiated Italy as the Spaniard denied a possible late penalty to Ukraine after Mykhailo Mudryk went down under a challenge from Bryan Cristante at minute 93.

More recently, he upset Carlo Ancelotti’s Real Madrid by disallowing a late Jude Bellingham winner against Valencia, blowing the final whistle just before the Englishman’s attempt at goal.

His last European match was on April 18, a Conference League quarter-final second leg between Fiorentina and Viktoria Plzen at the Stadio Artemio Franchi in Florence.

This article first appeared on Football Italia and was syndicated with permission.

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