UEFA has appointed English referee Anthony Taylor to officiate the match between Belgian Club Brugge and Spanish Barcelona, scheduled for next Wednesday, as part of the fourth round of the group stage in the Champions League.

Taylor, who is 47 years old, is one of the top referees in the continent and a member of UEFA's elite group. He has been officiating matches in the Premier League since 2010 and has held an international badge since 2013, with his compatriot Stuart Attwell serving as the Video Assistant Referee.

This will be the sixth match that Taylor officiates for the Catalan team in European competitions, where Barcelona has achieved two victories, two draws, and only one defeat with him. The last match he officiated for the team was in the first leg of the quarter-finals of the Champions League 2023/2024 season, when Barcelona won 3-2 against Paris Saint-Germain in Paris.

Barcelona's only defeat under Taylor's management was in the 2022/2023 season against Bayern Munich, with a score of 3-0 at Camp Nou, which is the only match the team played at home with him, while they have never lost away from Barcelona. The draws were against Paris Saint-Germain 1-1 in the 2020/2021 season and Olympiacos 0-0 in the 2017/2018 season.

On the other hand, this will be the fourth time Taylor officiates a match for Club Brugge, who has a record of one win, one draw, and one loss with him, the latest being their 3-1 victory over Sporting Lisbon in the group stage last season.