The referee who will preside over the duel between Atlético de Madrid and Manchester United at the Metropolitan Stadium has already been confirmed: the Swede Glenn Nyberg, 37, will be in charge of calling the match that will take place the day after tomorrow. Nyberg has already worked two games in this edition of the Champions League, having been the referee of the match between Napoli and Arsenal on the first day. With Atlético, it will be their second meeting in the European competition, although the first time that both teams met in the Champions League was last season, when the first leg of the play-off against Bruges ended with a 3-3 draw at the Jan Breidel Stadium in Bruges. On that occasion, Atlético had failed to beat the Swedish referee.
The Swedish referee has also had previous encounters with Manchester United in European competitions. The last time Nyberg met the English was in the Europa League quarterfinals of the 2024-25 season, when the first leg ended 2-2 against Olympique Lyon. Before that, the English club lost 4‑3 in the group stage against Bayern Munich at the Allianz Arena during the previous season. To date, Manchester United have failed to win a game under Nyberg in European competition.
In VAR, the referee will be assisted by renowned Dutch referee PolVanBoekel, who has worked in several international competitions and brings extensive experience in the use of video review technology. VanBoekel's presence adds to the credibility of the officiating body, ensuring that critical match decisions are reviewed with the highest level of accuracy possible.
The match, which will be played at the Metropolitan Stadium, promises to be a clash of titans. Atlético de Madrid, with its compact and offensive style of play, faces Manchester United, which seeks to consolidate its position in the group stage of the Champions League. Both teams have key players in their squads who could decide the result, and the referee's performance will be crucial to maintaining the balance of the match. With Nyberg's experience and VanBoekel's support, the match is expected to proceed without major controversies, allowing the quality of football to be the main focus.