Players aren’t the only ones breaking records. The referees, too, are likely to fail, like the one established by Clément Turpin on Wednesday evening. At the whistle of the match between Real Madrid and Manchester City (1-2), the French referee became the official having awarded the most penalties in the Champions League since the start of the modern era of the most prestigious European competition, in 1992.
By sending Erling Haaland to 11 meters following the gross foul committed by Antonio Rüdiger on the Norwegian striker in the 41st minute, Mr. Turpin whistled the 31st penalty of his career in C1 in 58 matches managed, almost one every two matches. According to the specialized X account Stats du Foot, no referee has, until now, designated the penalty point so many times in the Champions League.
An arbitrator referenced in Europe
Heavily criticized after his error made during the Ligue 1 match between Monaco and PSG (1-0), when he did not exclude Lamine Camara despite his dangerous tackle on the ankle of Lucas Chevalier, the French official could have beaten this record much earlier in the game. Indeed, the 43-year-old referee had whistled a penalty in the 2nd minute of play before changing his mind, Matheus Nunes’ foul on Vinicius having been made outside the penalty area.
Considered by many observers as the best French referee, Clément Turpin has extensive experience on the European scene. In 2022, he notably directed the Champions League final between Liverpool and Real Madrid at the Stade de France. Since his first appearance in C1 during the 2014-2015 season, the French referee has officiated more and more each year in the continent’s premier competition. During the 2024-2025 financial year, Mr. Turpin equaled his record by refereeing 7 matches, including the semi-final first leg between FC Barcelona and Inter Milan.
