BERGAMO, ITALY - OCTOBER 23: Celtic FC start team during the UEFA Champions League 2024/25 League Phase MD3 match between Atalanta BC and Celtic FC at Stadio di Bergamo on October 23, 2024 in Bergamo, Italy. (Photo by Stefano Guidi/Getty Images)
Benoît Bastien will referee Tuesday’s Champions League tie between Celtic and RB Leipzig.
With the German side going into the match looking for their first Champions League points of the season the stakes are high with UEF turning to the experienced French official who took charge of the game between Arsenal and Shakhtar Donetsk in Matchday Four.
Last season Bastien took charge of Celtic’s 2-1 victory over Feyenoord but Tuesday’s match will be much more intense than the dead rubber that saw Celtic end a 10 year wait for a home win in the Champions League.
That victory was followed up by a 5-0 win at home to Sloven Bratislava but the clash with RB Leipzig is the third in a four match run against Celtic’s toughest Champions League opponents.
A 0-0 draw away to Atalanta has put Celtic in contention to continue their involvement in the Champions League beyond the expanded group stage.
Home matches against Leipzig and Club Brugge will be demanding but no more testing than facing the in-form Italian side on their own ground.
Before the Celtic match kicks off Slovan Bratislava host Dinamo Zagreb which should give a form guide for Celtic’s Matchday 6 opponents on December 11.
All of the match officials for tomorrow’s match come from France with the exception of the VAR assistant, Maurizio Mariani from Italy.
CLICK HERE for match details.
Joe, would you please drop the officials, except the Italian one, a wee email reminding them of certain events from around the early 1940s. It just might help! 🙂