Following last week’s narrow 2-1 defeat in Prague, Paulo Fonseca’s Lyon side face a mathematical challenge: overcome the deficit with a two-goal margin to avoid heart-stopping extra time or an early exit. UEFA has opted for certainty by assigning one of football’s most decorated referees. At 45, Szymon Marciniak arrives in Décines-Charpieu with unmatched pedigree, fresh from officiating the 2022 World Cup final and countless high-stakes European fixtures.

A mixed history with Lyon

This appointment will stir memories among home supporters, marking Marciniak’s fifth appearance in a Lyon fixture. While his last outing ended in the painful 5-1 thrashing at Camp Nou in 2019, he also oversaw Lyon’s 3-1 Europa League victory against Ajax Amsterdam in 2017 — a result that ultimately proved insufficient for progression. His other encounters with the French giants saw narrow defeats to Juventus (0-1, 2016) and Viktoria Plzeň (2-1, 2014).