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Riley to ref Milan-Benfica[/FONT]</TD><TD vAlign=bottom width=174>
Sunday 16 September, 2007
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Controversial English referee Mike Riley has been assigned to Milan-Benfica, while Eric Braamhaar takes Olympiakos-Lazio.
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The Champions League 2007-08 kicks off on Tuesday evening and two Serie A sides enter the fray.
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This morning UEFA announced that Riley will officiate Milan’s opener with Portuguese side Benfica at San Siro.
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The Premier League figure was at the centre of controversy last week when Albania were furious at his decisions in their slender Euro 2008 qualifying defeat to Holland.
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Braamhaar is no stranger to scandal either, as earlier this year he was spotted ‘celebrating’ an Ajax goal in their 5-1 win at PSV Eindhoven.
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The Dutch referee insisted he was merely pleased to realise he had made the right decision in the move that took the scoreline to 4-1 and then publicly apologised to PSV.
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Italian whistleblower Matteo Trefoloni is also in action for the Champions League, as he will officiate the game between Olympique Marseille and Besiktas.
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Olympiakos-Lazio: Eric Braamhaar (Hol)
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Milan-Benfica: Mike Riley (Eng)
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Porto-Liverpool: Lubos Michel (Slk)
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Marsiglia-Besiktas: Matteo Trefoloni (Ita)
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Chelsea-Rosenborg: Laurent Duhamel (Fra)
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Schalke 04-Valencia: Jan W. Wegereef (Hol)[/FONT]
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