Kairat Almaty v Celtic – Experienced Italian referee Maurizio Mariani has whistle

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The Celtic Star

·26 agosto 2025

Kairat Almaty v Celtic – Experienced Italian referee Maurizio Mariani has whistle

Maurizio Mariani will take charge of tonight’s Champions League playoff second leg between Kairat Almaty and Celtic…

Referee Maurizio Mariani gestures during the Serie A match between FC Internazionale and SSC Napoli at Stadio Giuseppe Meazza on November 10, 2024 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images)

The Italian referee is set to oversee the £40 million match in Kazakhstan as Brendan Rodgers’ side look to book their place in Europe’s elite club competition for a fourth consecutive season.

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A group of fellow Italian officials will join Mariani for the match scheduled tonight at 5:45pm CPT which will be shown live on Amazon Prime.

Running the line for the game are duo Daniele Bindoni and Alberto Tegoni, while Matteo Marchetti has been appointed by UEFA as the fourth official. Marco Di Bello will handle VAR duties, with Valerio Marini supporting him in the review booth.

Maurizio Mariani referee looks on during the Serie A match between Empoli and Atalanta at Stadio Carlo Castellani on February 23, 2025 in Empoli, Italy. (Photo by Gabriele Maltinti/Getty Images)

It will be the first occasion in his career that referee Mariani is the whistler for a fixture involving both Celtic and Kairat Almaty. However, the man in the middle for this evening’s mammoth encounter has overseen six previous matches featuring Scottish teams.

The 43-year-old has taken charge of two matches for the latest Ibrox club, two Scotland internationals, and two fixtures involving the Scotland U19s side.

Mariani officiated theRangers’ 4-0 Europa League qualifying victory over Willem II in 2020 and later oversaw their 1-1 Champions League qualifying draw with Servette in Switzerland two years ago.

Meanwhile, he was in charge of Scotland‘s 3-0 victory over Ukraine at Hampden Park in 2022 in the UEFA Nations League. While officiating Scotland U19 games, Mariani was the man in the middle for a 3-1 win against Turkey followed by a 4-0 defeat to Portugal.

The referee Maurizio Mariani of Verona shows the red card to Jackson Tchatchoua of Verona during the Serie A match between Lecce and Verona at Stadio Via del Mare on October 29, 2024 in Lecce, Italy. (Photo by Maurizio Lagana/Getty Images)

Throughout last season, Mariani officiated 37 games in both Serie A and European competition. During that period, he issued 134 yellow cards, five red cards, and awarded nine penalties.

Celtic have not been used to Champions League qualifiers in recent seasons, but games don’t come much bigger than this tonight. Let’s hope there is no controversy from Mariani’s point of view as the stakes for both sides could not be higher.

Celtic 0-0 Kairat Almaty. Celtic’s Champions League hopes hang very much in the balance after they were held to a goalless draw in Glasgow by Kazakh side Kairat. Photo Kenny Ramsay IMAGO / News Licensing

Kairat Almaty pose for a photo for a team group prior to the UEFA Champions League Play-offs Round First Leg match between Celtic and Kairat Almaty at Celtic Park on August 20, 2025. (Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)

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