In a thrilling UEFA Champions League match, Girona faced off against Feyenoord, producing five goals, two saved penalties, one disallowed effort, and a nail-biting 3-2 victory for the visitors. Amidst the chaos, fans couldn’t help but notice a peculiar detail – the assistant referees, Benjamin and Marco Zürcher, were identical twins.
The 38-year-old Swiss brothers have worked together frequently, officiating games in the Swiss Super League, UEFA Nations League, and European club competitions. Their experience and teamwork were put to the test as they navigated the twists and turns of the match.
The action-packed game saw Girona take an early lead, only to be overtaken by Feyenoord in bizarre circumstances. The Dutch visitors benefited from two own goals scored by their Spanish hosts, who also had a goal disallowed at 2-2 due to an offside call made by one of the Zürchers. The VAR review upheld the decision, finding that Donny van de Beek had strayed beyond the last man by a matter of centimeters.
Both teams missed penalties, and the winning goal was eventually scored by Girona defender Ladislav Krejcí in the latter stages. In the 96th minute, Girona had a penalty claim denied for handball, leading to several minutes of deliberation among the officials before the final whistle.
The Zürcher brothers’ unique situation brings to mind other famous footballing twins, such as Frank and Ronald de Boer, who won 179 caps for the Netherlands and a total of 33 winners’ medals throughout their careers. Other notable twins include Rene and Willy van de Kerkhof, Megan and Rachael Rapinoe, Fabio and Rafael da Silva, and Radja and Riana Nainggolan.
In the world of football, twins have made their mark, and the Zürcher brothers are the latest addition to this exclusive list.
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