The French referee François Letexier will be in charge of directing the duel between Rome and Real Madrid that will be played on Wednesday, October 14 at the Olympic Stadium in Rome. Letexier, 37, has been assigned as the main referee and will be supported by Dennis Higler of the Netherlands in the VAR system.
Letexier has considerable experience in the Champions League, having refereed six matches for Real Madrid. His record with the white club includes three wins, one draw and two losses. The first game he coached was the first leg of the quarterfinals of the 2022/23 season, when Real Madrid beat Chelsea 2‑0 at the Bernabéu. The last time he was on the field against the Madrid team was last season, in the first leg of the round of 16 against Benfica, where Real won 1‑0 thanks to a goal from Vinicius. In that match, Letexier sent off Portuguese coach José Mourinho with a double yellow card after a protest that prevented the coach from sitting on the Bernabéu bench during the second half.
Although Letexier has never refereed Roma in the Champions League, he has had several experiences with the club in the Europa League. He has directed four matches in the competition, obtaining two victories and two defeats for the Italian capital. The last match he coached was the second leg of the round of 16 of the 2024/25 season, where Roma beat Porto 3-2.
With Letexier at the helm, the match promises to be competitive. Real Madrid, who have shown a solid performance in the Champions League, are looking to consolidate their position in the standings, while Roma are looking to maintain their momentum after a season of mixed results. The referee, with extensive experience in European competitions, will have to manage a high-intensity match and ensure that the rules are applied fairly.
The next step will be to observe how both teams prepare for the match and how the referee will handle potential tensions, especially considering the recent history between Letexier and Mourinho. The date of the match, October 14 at 9:00 p.m., marks a key moment for both clubs in their European campaign.