Match official, Alessandro Giallatini, who was one of the linesmen in charge of Aston Villa’s 3-2 victory against RB Leipzig broke down in tears after the end of the Champions League match on Tuesday.
Giallatini was spotted at full-time sobbing while RB Leipzig boss, Marco Rose, tried comforting the Italian match official as the match was the 49-year-old’s final game as an assistant referee.
“It was his last game, so that is why he was very emotional,” Rose confirmed in his post-match press conference. “I hope he was not sad and more happy about what he saw in his life and what he achieved as a referee. A nice story, a human story.”
A major highlight of Giallatini’s career came when he was one of the match officials for the 2020 Champions League final between Paris Saint-Germain and Bayern Munich – the Germans won thanks to a Kingsley Coman goal.