As previously reported, the chief referee of the first match of the 2nd round of the group stage of Euro 2024 in the group "E" Slovakia - Ukraine appointed 39-year-old Englishman Michael Oliver.
Michael OliverThis referee has been officiating international matches since 2012. For all this time he has worked in 134 such matches (in total at club level and at the national team level in competitions of all age categories).
Oliver will referee the match of the national team of Ukraine for the first time in his career, but the Briton is very familiar with Ukrainian soccer: he has refereed Dynamo Kyiv three times and Shakhtar Donetsk twice.
Michael Oliver's match statistics with Ukrainian teams
Season-2012/13. Ukraine U-21 - Slovenia U-21 (2:0). Euro 2013 (U-21) qualification
Season-2014/15. "Steaua vs Dynamo (0:2). Europa League group stage
Season-2019/20. " Shakhtar vs Basel (4:1). Europa League quarter-finals
Season-2020/21. "Barcelona vs Dynamo (2:1). Champions League group stage
Season-2020/21. " Dynamo vs Villarreal (0:2). Europa League 1/8 finals
Season-2022/23. " Shakhtar vs RB Leipzig (0:4). Champions League group stage.
The match between Slovakia and Ukraine will be Oliver's second at Euro 2024: in the first round of the group stage of the tournament, the Englishman worked at the match between Spain and Croatia (3-0, 1 yellow card, 1 penalty).
Oliver can be called quite a loyal referee: he shows an average of 3 yellow cards per match, and direct penalties are noted in about every 12 matches. But the Briton awards penalties on average in every third match.
