
Felix Zwayer (foto: Getty Images)
Felix Zwayer will referee the PSG vs Arsenal semi-final after Szymon Marciniak faced harsh criticism, but English media have reignited controversy over Zwayer’s match-fixing past.
After a night full of controversy in Milan, attention now shifts to the second Champions League semi-final between PSG and Arsenal. The man in charge? Felix Zwayer, one of Europe’s top referees—but also a figure whose name brings its own storm of controversy.
Zwayer has been appointed to oversee tonight’s crucial clash, stepping into the spotlight just as Szymon Marciniak finds himself under heavy fire following Inter’s dramatic win over Barcelona. The Polish referee was criticised across Spain for a string of questionable calls.
Now, English media—most notably The Sun—have already begun digging into Zwayer’s past, describing him as “the referee who was suspended for six months for accepting a bribe.”
The incident dates back nearly 20 years. During a match in the German second division, Zwayer—then an assistant referee—accepted a bribe worth several hundred euros from disgraced referee Robert Hoyzer. Though Zwayer later cooperated in the investigation, he was handed a six-month suspension.
Despite the controversy, Zwayer resumed his career and has since become a regular in the Bundesliga and on the international stage. But his past remains a hot topic, especially when emotions run high in matches of this magnitude.
Jude Bellingham
"What do you expect when you give the biggest game in Germany to a referee who has been involved in match-fixing before?"
As PSG and Arsenal prepare to battle for a place in the final, Zwayer’s every decision will be under the microscope—especially in light of the latest wave of scrutiny.