German referee Felix Zwayer, who has previously been punished for accepting a bribe and has faced criticism from Jude Bellingham, will officiate England’s Euro 2024 semi-final clash with the Netherlands.
The Three Lions delivered a flawless penalty shootout against Switzerland in the quarter-finals on Saturday to secure their place in the final four. Their success means they will next face the Netherlands in a bid to qualify for back-to-back Euros finals.
UEFA have placed German national Zwayer in charge of the game despite his uncomfortable history with Bellingham.
Back in December 2021 during his time with Borussia Dortmund, the midfielder slammed Zwayer’s performance following a defeat to Bayern Munich and referenced his history of match-fixing – Zwayer served a six-month ban after he was found to have accepted a €300 bribe from fellow referee Robert Hoyzer back in 2005.
“You give a referee that has match-fixed before the biggest game in Germany – what do you expect?,” Bellingham said after a controversial handball call.
“For me, it wasn’t [a penalty]. He [Mats Hummels] is not even looking at the ball and he’s fighting to get it and it hits him. You can look at a lot of the decisions in the game.”
Bellingham received a fine of around €40,000 for his actions, while Zwayer took a two-month break from officiating.
UEFA, however, remain firm in their decision to appoint Zwayer to take charge of a game involving Bellingham, as per reports from The Times, saying they are ‘confident in his integrity’.
England will face the Netherlands in a highly-anticipated clash in Dortmund on Wednesday, with Bellingham set to form a crucial part of their lineup.
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