On Wednesday, April 8, in the first leg of the 2025-2026 Champions League quarter-finals (second leg on April 14), Paris Saint-Germain will face Liverpool at the Parc des Princes (kick-off at 9 pm, broadcast on Canal+). The referee for the match has been chosen: José Maria Sanchez Martinez (42 years old). He has experience in the Champions League, having officiated 19 matches.
He will be assisted by Mihai Raúl Cabanero and Ignigo Prieto. The fourth official will be Juan Martinez Munuera. Video assistance will be provided by Carlos del Cerro Grande and Guillermo Cuadra Fernandez.
Yellow Cards –
With Mr. Sanchez Martinez in charge, we can expect yellow cards to be issued fairly regularly during the match. Indeed, while the average number of yellow cards shown per game in France is 3.53 (standard deviation of 0.39), the referee for this first leg of the quarter-final has averaged 3.63 yellow cards per match throughout his Champions League career (Transfermarkt figures). That’s a little high; let’s hope there’s a good balance between dialogue and punishment.
Red cards –
The referee for this quarter-final is less strict when it comes to direct red cards. Indeed, Sanchez Martinez has averaged 0.11 red cards per match in his career, while the French average is 0.17 per game (standard deviation of 0.07). This reflects a more controlled approach, rather than resorting to indiscriminate punishment.
Second yellow cards –
José Maria Sanchez Martinez tends to send off a player after their first yellow card in a match, as he has given a second yellow card to the same player an average of 0.16 times per game. This is significantly higher than the French average of 0.09 (standard deviation of 0.03). With yellow cards being issued rather sparingly initially, it’s understandable that caution is necessary later on, as there is no particular leniency shown.
Penaltys –
As for penalties, the man who will officiate this first leg quarter-final is much lower than the French average with 0.26 penalties awarded per match, while in Ligue 1 the average is 0.34 (standard deviation of 0.08).
History –
José Maria Sanchez Martinez has refereed PSG once: a 3-2 defeat against Aston Villa in the second leg of the 2024-2025 Champions League quarter-final (but they still qualified).
He has also refereed Liverpool once: a 3-0 victory against Ajax Amsterdam in the 2022-2023 Champions League group stage.
