Things in refereeing are going through a tough time. Referees are being heavily criticized for their mistakes on the field, and it's not without reason. The amount of money they earn and their capacity to influence the outcome of a match is significant.

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A clear example is Gil Manzano, the central referee in the La Liga match between Valencia and Real Madrid last Saturday. He blew the final whistle seconds before Madrid scored the winning goal (3-2). Currently, he is
under intense scrutiny in Spain for that play, and he might face a sanction. What is entirely certain is that the criticisms against him have been increasing.

On another note, there's the issue of Marco di Bello, who will be the fourth official in the Wednesday match between Real Madrid and RB Leipzig in the Champions League round of 16. Di Bello has had rough days due to
recent criticisms of his performance in the Friday match between Lazio and Milan (0-1). In that game, he expelled three players from Lazio and showed 12 more yellow and red cards. As a result, the referee is facing a sanction in
Serie A.

Di Bello's wife, Carla Foggiano, posted a message on her Instagram as a letter, expressing her feelings about the tough time her husband is going through.

"It's not easy to write while staying lucid and polite. It's not easy to remain balanced and serene. It's not easy at all, but I must do it to avoid being dragged and engulfed by this storm of hatred. I don't want to talk about refereeing; I'm not interested in talking about football and players. I can't, however, talk about sports because sport is no longer that; in sports, there's no room for hatred and violence. Nevertheless, for two days, and who knows how many more will follow, the most unspeakable evils and hostilities are being poured over a MAN.

It's an unprecedented media and social lynching. We live in a historical time where violence and abuse are condemned and distanced, but nonetheless, we are capable of hating, denigrating, offending, mistreating, and outraging our fellow human beings.

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I'm not here to defend Marco, as he is capable of doing it himself. I'm here to be by his side, to be able to alleviate the emotional burden he's suffered. I'm here to remind that behind a uniform, off the field, far from the cameras, there's a man. There are sacrifices, effort, dedication, renunciations, dreams, successes, and defeats. There's Marco Di Bello, his strength, his dignity, and much more that nothing and no one can ever erase.
'In the middle of difficulty lies opportunity' (Albert Einstein) With love! Carla.

This was the message posted by the wife of Marco Di Bello, the fourth official who will be present in one of the most attractive matches of this stage of the Champions League (round of 16).