Chelsea's Conference League final ref has been banned for 6 matches this season
Irfan Peljto will officiate Chelsea's highly-anticipated UEFA Conference League final with Real Betis on Wednesday evening, but the Bosnian referee has seen his fair share of controversy this season
The referee in charge of Chelsea's UEFA Conference League final with Real Betis has alarmingly been banned for six games already this season. Irfan Peljto will see the honour of being the first Bosnian official to oversee a major UEFA club competition on Wednesday night when the Blues take on Los Verdiblancos at the Stadion Wroclaw.
However, the 40-year-old – who was in charge of Arsenal's 3-0 Champions League quarter-final first leg win over Real Madrid at the Emirates Stadium just last month – may feel the pressure over amped up scrutiny heading into the match.
That's because Peljto faced a six-match ban in his homeland earlier this season after making a series of errors during Zrinjski Mostar's 1-1 derby clash with Boran Banja.
In total, the referee made three major mistakes during the fixture – which took place at the Bijeli Brijeg Stadium in September – two of which coming as failures to award clear penalties. In a damning statement made by the Bosnian FA, it was highlighted how the official was in a good position to see both penalty claims, as well as a foul which led to a goal for Borac.
It read: "In the 25th minute, the referee, although very well positioned and with a clear view of the incident, failed to recognise an obvious foul and award a penalty kick to FK Borac.
"In the 26th minute, the referee, although well positioned, failed to award a direct free kick for the away team after a clear foul which led to a goal for the home team. In the 90th+5 minute, the referee failed to award a clear penalty kick for Zrinjski too."
As a result, Peljto was handed a six-game ban from the Premier League of Bosnia and Herzegovina, while the VAR officials for the game saw the same fate. Regardless of the incidents earlier this season, the referee told UEFA that he is honoured to oversee Chelsea's Conference League final with Real Betis.
He said: "We are living a dream. To receive the call was very emotional. It's an honour not only for my career, but to bring the flag of my small country under the European spotlight is a very proud moment.
"I hope it is also a moment for the future of referees in Bosnia and Herzegovina, that young referees have this positive perspective on refereeing, and that we have created a path for them."
Despite his country's FA pulling him up for his mistakes made earlier in the season, UEFA seem to hold Peljto in high regard – with the official overseeing six Champions League games and four Europa League matches this season. However, Barry Ferguson has also took problem with Peljto this season for his officiating during Rangers' 2-0 quarter-final second leg loss to Athletic Club in the Europa League in April.
The teams saw their first game at Ibrox finish 0-0 before meeting once more at the Estadio de San Mames – with Oihan Sancet and Nico Williams omitting the Glaswegian outfit from the competition. However, Rangers boss Ferguson claimed that Peljto and VAR official missed Cyriel Dessers having his shirt pulled in the penalty area by Yeray Alvarez, as well as an Athletic handball in the box in the second half which could have changed the game.
The result of Chelsea's clash with Betis in Poland come Wednesday comes as both clubs' last hope of achieving silverware for 2024/25 – however, the benefits of winning the tournament will do very little for both clubs in terms of the European football they will play next year.
The winner of the UEFA Conference League automatically qualifies for the Europa League in 2025/26, but with Betis already achieving their place in the tournament via a sixth-place finish in La Liga, and Chelsea qualifying for the Champions League by ending the Premier League season in fourth, neither side will truly utilise the perks of winning the competition.
Regardless, both Enzo Maresca and Manuel Pellegrini will have high hopes of winning when their sides clash on Wednesday evening, with both failing to secure domestic silverware this term.
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