Liverpool Football Club News

• Nickname:Reds
• Founded:1892
• Manager:Kenny Dalglish

• Ground:Anfield
• Capacity:45,362

Fandel given final task

21 May 2007 - 11:29:55

Click To Enlarge

Experienced German referee Herbert Fandel will officiate Wednesday's Champions League final between Liverpool and AC Milan in Athens.

Fandel, 43, was the man in the middle during Liverpool's last 16 second leg 1-0 defeat by Barcelona at Anfield in March in which he booked four home players.

He has previously referee two other Champions League matches involving Liverpool and five more for their final opponents Milan.

Fandel was also the man who sent off Paul Scholes when Manchester United's faced AS Roma in the first leg of their European quarter-final earlier this season.

Carsten Kadach and Volker Wezel have been named as his assistant referees for Wednesday's showpiece, with Florian Meyer the fourth official.

"It is a great honour to be asked to referee this match - it was always a dream for me," he told uefa.com.

"I think my experience will help me. I've taken charge of a lot of major matches in Germany and internationally, and I'm looking forward to refereeing a game between two excellent teams."

Meanwhile, Liverpool chief executive Rick Parry has revealed the club won't announce new contracts for Steven Gerrard and Jamie Carragher until after the Champions League final.

The England pair are both poised to put pen to paper on new long-term deals with the club after impressing American owners George Gillett and Tom Hicks with their commitment.

"Nothing will happen until after the final," confirmed Parry.