UEFA’s appointment process for high‑profile Champions League fixtures calls for neutral officials from different national federations. Following that procedure, the governing body has selected Ivan Kruzliak, a referee from Slovakia, to take charge of the match between Aston Villa and Fenerbahçe. The decision places a Slovak official in the middle of a contest that will be played at Villa Park in Birmingham.
The fixture is scheduled for 14 October, with the kick‑off set for 22.00 TSİ. These dates and times frame the window in which the two sides will meet, giving fans and teams a clear schedule ahead of the matchday.
The match will be hosted at Villa Park, the historic home ground of Aston Villa situated in Birmingham. This venue has been identified in the sources as the location for the October 14 encounter, establishing the setting for the referee and his team to operate.
The video assistance team will be chaired by Tiago Martins, who comes from Portugal.
Ivan Kruzliak will act as the central referee. He will be supported by two assistant referees: Branislav Hancko and Jan Pozor. Both officials assist Ivan Kruzliak as assistant referees.
Peter Kralovic has been named as the fourth official for the game. His role will involve overseeing the technical area, managing substitutions, and assisting the referee with any off‑field matters that may arise during the contest at Villa Park.
The video assistance team will be chaired by Tiago Martins, who comes from Portugal. Martins will occupy the VAR chair, reviewing key incidents with the aid of replay technology. Additionally, the assistant VAR (AR) role has been assigned to Robert Schröder, a official from Germany. Together, Martins and Schröder will form the video support unit tasked with assisting the on‑field referee.
The encounter is situated in the second week of the UEFA Champions League campaign. This placement means that both Aston Villa and Fenerbahçe will be contesting an early‑stage group‑phase match, with the referee team now in place to oversee the proceedings as the competition progresses.
