The 37-year-old from Izmir has already refereed Slovakia’s shock 1-0 victory over Belgium within the present event. In December, Meler was overwhelmed up on the pitch by an sad membership president throughout a league match in Turkey. League play was subsequently suspended for every week.
Ankaragücü President Faruk Koca punched Meler within the face following the guests’ late equaliser in the course of the 1-1 draw between his membership and Caykur Rizespor. After the referee fell to the bottom, different individuals stormed onto the pitch and kicked him. Meler needed to be hospitalised following the incident, which brought regarding outrage all over the world. He suffered head trauma and accidents to his eye. Koca was arrested, spent two weeks in jail and was banned for all times by the Turkish FA.
Bodily assault
Meler was already once more in motion a month following the bodily assault. Salzburg has had good experiences with the referee within the European Cup to this point. The 2 Champions League matches that Salzburg refereed have been gained by Austria’s then serial champions – at dwelling towards OSC Lille (2-1) in September 2021 and away towards Benfica Lisbon (2-0) in September 2023. Within the shock win in Lisbon 9 months in the past, Meler awarded two penalties for Salzburg and despatched Benfica defender Antonio Silva off early for handball.
