The highly anticipated UEFA Champions League clash between Manchester City and Inter Milan at the Etihad Stadium on Wednesday will be officiated by Swedish referee Glenn Nyberg. Nyberg, a seasoned official with a career spanning over a decade, ascended to the professional ranks in 2008 and has been a regular in the Swedish top tier, the Allsvenskan, since 2013. He gained international recognition in 2016 when he was appointed as a FIFA referee.
Nyberg’s resume boasts a notable achievement: he was chosen to referee the 2023 FIFA U-20 World Cup final between Uruguay and Italy in Argentina, highlighting his stature within the global football community. However, his journey as a referee hasn’t been without controversy.
During the first leg of the Champions League quarterfinal between Bayern Munich and Arsenal on April 9, 2024, then Bayern manager Thomas Tuchel voiced his displeasure with Nyberg’s decision not to award a penalty after Arsenal’s Gabriel Magalhaes handled the ball inside the box. Tuchel later revealed that Nyberg had explained his reasoning by stating that he didn’t want to punish a “kid’s mistake” by the Arsenal defender. Adding to the contentious nature of the match, Bukayo Saka confronted Nyberg for not awarding a penalty late in the game after colliding with Bayern goalkeeper Manuel Neuer in the box.
Nyberg’s experience extends beyond the Champions League. He has also officiated at the Paris Olympics and served as the fourth official in the Europa Conference League final between Olympiacos and Fiorentina. As he takes charge of the crucial encounter between Manchester City and Inter Milan, all eyes will be on Nyberg to ensure a fair and decisive outcome.
