Polish referee Szymon Marciniak has been confirmed as the official for the upcoming Nations League match between Italy and Turkey. The highly anticipated fixture is scheduled for Monday, October 5, with Italy hosting Turkey at the Dall’Ara stadium in Bologna.
Marciniak’s History with Italy
The appointment of Marciniak, a referee known for officiating major international finals, comes with a notable statistic for the Azzurri. Italy has not secured a victory in any of their previous four matches refereed by the Polish official. This record includes a 3-3 draw against Germany in a Nations League quarter-final in 2025, a 2-0 defeat to Switzerland in the EURO 2024 round of 16, a goalless draw with England in the Nations League in 2022, and a 3-1 friendly loss to Belgium all the way back in 2015. This winless streak under Marciniak could be seen as a challenging omen for the Italian side.
Marciniak brings a wealth of experience to the pitch, having refereed the 2023 Champions League final, which saw Inter defeated by Manchester City in Istanbul. He also took charge of the 2022 FIFA World Cup final in Qatar, between victors Argentina and runners-up France, further cementing his reputation as one of football’s top officials.
Match Context and Team Form
This encounter marks Italy’s fourth and final Nations League match of the extended September-October international break. Roberto Mancini’s Italy and Vincenzo Montella’s Turkey have already faced each other once during this period, with the Azzurri securing a convincing 4-1 victory in Bursa last week. Italy’s recent form also includes a 1-1 draw away against France on Friday evening and a 2-0 defeat to Belgium just before their 4-1 win against Turkey.
Officiating Team Confirmed
A full Polish officiating team will oversee the match. Marciniak will be supported by assistant referees Tomasz Listkiewicz and Adam Kupsik, with Karol Arys serving as the fourth official. The video assistant referee (VAR) duties will be handled by Piotr Lasyk, assisted by Lukas Faehndrich from Switzerland.