UEFA ignites the Istanbul clash: the "Turpan curse" haunts Liverpool in the Champions League
A bad memory for Liverpool
UEFA have named the refereeing team for Wednesday's blockbuster between Fenerbahce and Liverpool, the fourth-round Champions League tie set for Turkish soil.
And according to an official statement issued by UEFA, renowned French international Clement Turpin will take charge of the decisive clash. Compatriots Nicolas Danos and Benjamin Pages run the lines as his assistants, with Jeremy Stinat as fourth official.
Turpin's appointment stirs bad memories for Liverpool fans. The Reds carry a grim record with the Frenchman on their biggest European nights. He was the fourth official for the 2017-2018 Champions League final, the 3-1 defeat to Real Madrid in Kiev.
Four years on, Turpin returned as the man in the middle for the 2021-2022 final between Liverpool and Real Madrid in Paris. That one ended in another English defeat, this time by a single unanswered goal.
Turkish teams' record with Turpin
Turkish sides, by contrast, have found Turpin an even hand. He has officiated five of their matches:
30 September 2025: Galatasaray 1-0 Liverpool
24 October 2024: Fenerbahce 1-1 Manchester United
16 August 2017: Basaksehir 1-2 Sevilla
10 March 2016: Fenerbahce 1-0 Sporting Braga
12 December 2013: Lazio 0-0 Trabzonspor
Everything hangs on Wednesday for both sides in the qualification race. Fenerbahce want to lean on home ground and their crowd. Liverpool, meanwhile, are desperate to break the Turpin curse and grab a win that restores their continental balance.
