In Craiova, where the Ion Oblemenco Stadium will host Getafe’s opening Conference League assignment on Thursday, UEFA has appointed Slovenian referee David Smajc for the meeting with Universitatea Craiova.
The 37-year-old takes charge of only his third European club fixture, continuing an early continental path for one of the newer faces in UEFA’s referee group. Aleksandar Matkovic, also from Slovenia, will support him on VAR duty.
Quick facts
- Match: Universitatea Craiova v Getafe
- Venue: Ion Oblemenco Stadium, Craiova
- Competition: Conference League
- Referee: David Smajc of Slovenia, aged 37
- VAR official: Aleksandar Matkovic of Slovenia
- European record: third club match in Europe, second in the Conference League
Smajc became a professional referee in 2018. His previous Conference League appointment came in the competition’s third qualifying round, and Thursday’s game represents another step into the main European calendar.
He has not previously refereed a Spanish professional club in UEFA competition. His only earlier experience involving Spanish sides came with Spain’s under-19 national team and Atletico Madrid in the UEFA Youth League.
The match will also be his first involving Universitatea Craiova. Smajc has, however, encountered Polish football through fixtures involving Cracovia and Pogon Szczecin, while he has additionally overseen Poland’s senior national side as well as its under-15 and under-16 teams.
For Getafe, the appointment places a young member of Europe’s emerging referee generation at the centre of their first Conference League night of the new season in western Romania.
