Irfan Peljto, the referee appointed to oversee Chelsea’s UEFA Conference League final against Real Betis on Wednesday, comes with a concerning disciplinary record, having served a six-match ban in Bosnia earlier this season.
The 40-year-old Bosnian official, who will become the first from his country to referee a major UEFA club competition final, was suspended by his national federation after making three critical errors during a September derby between Zrinjski Mostar and Boran Banja. The Bosnian FA’s damning statement highlighted his failure to award two clear penalties and a foul that led to a goal, despite being “well positioned with a clear view.”
Despite this domestic controversy, UEFA has shown considerable faith in Peljto, assigning him to six Champions League and four Europa League matches this season, including Arsenal’s 3-0 quarter-final victory over Real Madrid at the Emirates Stadium.
The appointment adds an extra layer of scrutiny to Wednesday’s final at Stadion Wroclaw in Poland, where both Chelsea and Real Betis will compete for their only chance at silverware this season. Though the Conference League winner traditionally earns automatic qualification to the Europa League, neither club will benefit from this perk—Chelsea have already secured Champions League football with their fourth-place Premier League finish, while Betis qualified for the Europa League by finishing sixth in La Liga.
Peljto’s appointment has also raised eyebrows among some observers who recall Rangers’ complaints following their Europa League quarter-final elimination by Athletic Club in April. Former Rangers manager Barry Ferguson claimed the Bosnian official missed crucial penalty decisions that could have changed the outcome of that tie.
For Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca, the final represents an opportunity to cap his debut season with a trophy, having successfully guided the Blues back to Champions League qualification. His counterpart, veteran Chilean coach Manuel Pellegrini, seeks to add another European trophy to his collection after previously winning the UEFA Intertoto Cup with Villarreal in 2004.
The match kicks off at 8:00 PM local time, with both teams expected to field full-strength lineups in pursuit of continental glory.
