Champions League referee Clément Turpin set to officiate Metz vs Marseille

Clément Turpin will referee Metz-OM on Saturday (5 p.m.). The man with the whistle, familiar with the Vélodrome and major fixtures, is no stranger to Marseille: 46 matches, notable decisions, and a relationship that remains tense between respect and mistrust.

A referee with a complicated history with OM

Clément Turpin will referee Metz-OM on Saturday (5 p.m.). The man with the whistle, familiar with the Vélodrome and major fixtures, is no stranger to Marseille: 46 matches, notable decisions, and a relationship that remains tense between respect and mistrust.

The referee for big occasions

Champions League final in 2022, Euros, World Cup: Turpin, 42, represents the top level. In Ligue 1, he’s the guarantor of a fluid, precise, and controlled game. Every time he’s assigned an OM match, it signals that the fixture matters. On Saturday in Saint-Symphorien, the spotlight will once again be on him.

With him, there’s no room for improvisation: calm authority, minimal communication, but immediate impact. He handles pressure like few others. Yet in Marseille, his name still brings back stinging memories.

Mixed memories

Because Marseille’s memory is long.

Last season, Turpin refereed three Olympique de Marseille matches:

• the 5–0 win in Montpellier (nothing to complain about, well-controlled officiating),
• the 2–1 victory against Monaco (a penalty signaled by his assistant),
• and the 3–1 loss in Paris.

But it’s the Coupe de France match against LOSC that still leaves a bitter taste: a penalty that wasn’t reviewed, Mehdi Benatia’s controversial sending off, and an enduring sense of injustice. For many, that episode reinforced the idea that, against Turpin, Marseille must beat not only their opponent… but also the referee.

Another mental challenge

This weekend, Roberto De Zerbi and his players can’t afford any lapse in concentration. The Italian coach demands intensity and control; Turpin, for his part, punishes any slip-up. The Marseille players will need to combine passion with clarity.

Against a referee who has officiated Europe’s biggest stages, OM will have to prove they can now win without losing focus.

The message is clear: play hard, but fair.

Turpin isn’t an enemy – he’s a test.

In Metz, the real challenge will be composure.