Slovenian official, Damir Skomina has been selected to referee the Europa League match between Manchester United and Ajax on May 24 at Stockholm’s Friends Arena.
40-year-old Skomina had overseen Ajax against Manchester United before as he was in charge for Ajax’s 2-1 win at Old Trafford in the Europa League in 2012 when United went through 3-2 on aggregate.
Goalkeeper David De Gea, Chris Smalling, Phil Jones and Ashley Young all featured in the match while Daley Blind was on the bench for Ajax.
The referee has also had a run-in with United manager Jose Mourinho before when the manager criticised him for failing to award Chelsea a penalty in their Champions League clash with Dynamo Kiev in October 2015.
Mourinho had said, “The referee and the goal referee decide not to give it.
“It was a clear penalty. I don’t know. The referee didn’t see it? The referee decided not to give it? I think the referee was very good. I’m serious. I think he made one mistake.”
Skomina started his international career since 2003, and was also in charge for United’s 1-1 draw with Benfica in 2011 and their 4-2 win over Bayer Leverkusen in 2013, both in the Champions League.
The official was also on the receiving end of a blast from Arsene Wenger following Arsenal’s Champions League exit to AC Milan in 2012.
Wenger said, “I was not happy with the referee because he gave them many free kicks in the centre of the park. Every single free kick, every time they went down it was for them. They sensed that very quickly on the pitch, the players, and they used it very well.”
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