UEFA announces referee team for AEK versus Crystal Palace match

UEFA has appointed the officiating team for the UEFA Europa Conference League round of 16 second-leg match between AEK and Crystal Palace. The game is scheduled to take place on Thursday, March 19, at 19:45. The Azerbaijani official Aliyar Aghayev has been named the head referee for the encounter. He will be assisted by compatriots Zeynal Zeynalov and Akif Amirali. Jeroen Manschot from the Netherlands is designated as the fourth official. The VAR operations will be managed by Nijat Ismayili, with Elchin Masiyev serving as the assistant VAR. While some reports initially attributed the VAR role to Manschot, the official UEFA announcement clarifies his position as the fourth referee. All officials are preparing for the fixture, which carries significant weight for both clubs as they contend for a spot in the next stage of the tournament.