PSG-Dortmund Referee was in Tears After the Match, Here’s Why

Daniele Orsato served as the referee during the second leg of the Champions League semi-final between PSG and Dortmund on Tuesday at Parc des Princes (0-1).

At 48 years old, the Italian referee was deeply moved at the final whistle. His assistants gathered around him to offer comfort, but Daniele Orsato couldn’t hold back his tears. The reason behind his emotional display? This marked his final match officiating in the Champions League.

Orsato will retire at the end of the season, but before that, he will referee in the European Championship this summer in Germany.

Since the start of his career in 1993, the native of Veneto, in southwestern Italy, has officiated in over 600 professional matches, including 288 in Serie A. The clash between Paris and Dortmund was his 55th Champions League match. Notably, he refereed the closed-door final between PSG and Bayern Munich on August 23, 2020, in Lisbon (1-0), amid the Covid pandemic.