GERMAN referee Felix Brych will take charge of England versus Ukraine – just days after the Three Lions dumped his nation out of Euro 2016.
Raheem Sterling and Harry Kane grabbed the goals as Gareth Southgate’s side defeated Germany 2-0 at Wembley on Tuesday.
That was enough to fire England into the quarters where they are now preparing to take on Ukraine in Rome.
And the man in the middle will be someone who was desperate for England to lose two days ago.
Brych is Germany’s representative at Euro 2020 and one of the best-known referees in the world.
The whistler has taken charge of Champions League finals before and is one of Uefa’s most trusted officials.
Born in Munich, Brych was refereeing in the German lower leagues at the tender age of just 24.
He impressed enough to make his 2. Bundesliga bow in 2001, before reaching the top league in Germany just three years later.
By 2007 he was regularly involved in European matches and has since worked his way up to internationals.
Not afraid to stamp his authority on games and brandish his cards, Brych is perhaps best remembered in the UK for sending off Manchester United’s Nemanja Vidic for a high tackle against Otelul Galati in 2011.
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Back in his maiden World Cup in Brazil, Brych sent off Uruguayan Maxi Pereira and cautioned six more in his two matches at the finals.
And in World Cup 2018 he caused huge controversy by failing to award Serbia a penalty against Switzerland when Aleksandar Mitrovic appeared to be being held down by two Swiss players.
A lawyer outside of football, Brych is a qualified doctor of law and he took charge of Belgium’s last-16 triumph over Portugal.
It was England’s first knockout stage win over their rivals in 55 years and one that left a bitter taste back in Germany.
Berlin-based tabloid BZ reacted by writing a headline in English on their front page saying ‘Germany’s coming home’.
It was a reference to England fans’ ‘football’s coming home’ chant that bellowed around Wembley after the last 16 victory.
They also thanks departing boss Joachim Low for winning the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.
National tabloid Bild, meanwhile, went with the headline ‘Jogi, it’s all over’ and called it a bitter farewell for the national team boss.
They also said that Low looked ’empty, frustrated and depressed’ after the humbling defeat.
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