English referee Michael Oliver is set to officiate the upcoming Champions League fixture. However, old social media posts have resurfaced, suggesting a potential bias towards Real Madrid.
Ahead of the high-stakes Champions League encounter between Bayern Munich and Real Madrid, images of Oliver surfaced, showing him and his wife vacationing in Madrid and visiting the Santiago Bernabéu stadium. His wife, Lucy Oliver, captioned one post with «I love Madrid» and another from inside Real Madrid’s home ground with «Not a bad stadium, I think.»
Long-time top referee Manuel Gräfe reacted to these images with considerable surprise.
«If not fake, then at the very least, cautiously phrased, ‘awkward’ to post something like that,» Gräfe commented. While the 52-year-old expressed understanding, stating, «As a referee, you are, of course, allowed to ‘love’ European cities with your wife.»
Nevertheless, Gräfe argued that the old images place «unnecessary additional pressure» on Oliver, who is widely regarded as one of Europe’s top officials.
‘Absolute Disaster’: Unpleasant Memories of Marciniak Resurface
Gräfe further drew a comparison between this situation and the controversy surrounding referee Szymon Marciniak. During the last encounter between Real Madrid and FC Bayern in 2024, Marciniak sparked outrage by prematurely blowing his whistle for an alleged offside, disallowing a potential equalizer by Matthijs de Ligt just before full-time.
It quickly became apparent that the goalscorer was not in an offside position, rendering the whistle irregular. However, because play had already been stopped, the VAR could not intervene to correct the decision. Then-Bayern coach Thomas Tuchel fumed afterwards, calling it «an absolute disaster!»
Following this incident, Marciniak was accused of being a fan of Real Madrid. A video that quickly circulated online was presented as ‘proof.’ The 16-second clip showed the referee in good spirits with his colleagues in the changing room, and a toiletry bag featuring the Real Madrid logo was also visible.
However, the video was from 2021 and was filmed during a Polish top-flight match. Furthermore, the footage did not clarify whether the fan merchandise belonged to Marciniak himself or one of his assistants.
Oliver Once Sparked Outrage with a Controversial Decision Involving Real Madrid
Ahead of the Champions League semi-final first leg, the German record champions can at least draw some hope from a positive omen. Under Oliver’s officiating, Bayern last won 4-2 against Flamengo at the Club World Cup last summer. The 41-year-old Englishman has refereed seven Bayern matches in total, with FCB winning six of them. The only exception was a 1-1 draw against RB Salzburg in February 2022.
Real Madrid also has a generally positive history with Oliver. Los Blancos have won three of the four matches he has refereed for them. Even their single defeat under his watch likely remains a fond memory in the Spanish capital.
In April 2018, Oliver controversially awarded a penalty to Real Madrid in injury time during the closing stages of their match against Juventus Turin. Goalkeeping legend Gianluigi Buffon was so incensed by the decision that he was shown a red card.
Cristiano Ronaldo converted the spot-kick in the final minute, making it 1-3. As Real had won the first leg 3-0 in Italy, this goal secured their progression to the semi-finals. Following the match, Oliver and his family required police protection; his wife’s phone number was published on social media, and they received abusive messages.
Madrid and Bayern will now battle for a spot in the semi-finals, starting Tuesday evening at the Bernabéu. The return leg will take place next Wednesday at the Allianz Arena.
FC Bayern Munich: Upcoming Matches at a Glance
| Date | Time | Fixture |
|---|---|---|
| Tuesday, April 7 | 9 PM | Real Madrid — FC Bayern (Champions League) |
| Saturday, April 11 | 6:30 PM | FC St. Pauli — FC Bayern (Bundesliga) |
| Wednesday, April 15 | 9 PM | FC Bayern — Real Madrid (Champions League) |