© EuroFootball.com
The world's best-known football referee, Italian Pierluigi Collina, may blow his final whistle on Saturday in his hometown of Bologna.
Collina has reached the age of 45, and after Saturday's match between and for survival in the Serie A championship, according to Italian football rules, he will no longer be able to officiate professional games.
Italian football officials have not yet decided whether an exception will be made for Collina, who is still considered the best Italian referee, one of the best referees in the world, and in excellent physical shape.
"La Gazzetta dello Sport" reported on Friday that an exception may be made for him in the coming weeks, allowing him to officiate for another year.
However, for now, Saturday's match will be Collina's last official top-tier referee match. It will be a suitable match for Collina to bid farewell to his profession. A particularly tense encounter is expected between two clubs vying for survival in the top Italian league.
Throughout his career, Collina, instantly recognizable with his bald head and bulging eyes, officiated in many matches accompanied by high tension.
He officiated in the 1996 Olympic Games tournament final between Nigeria and Argentina, in the 1998 World Cup he officiated the Benelux derby between the Netherlands and Belgium.
He also had a decisive role in the dramatic 1999 Champions League final between and .
Collina officiated in the 2000 Euro Championship qualifying playoff between old rivals England and Scotland. In the final part of that tournament, he officiated a match between Germany and England.
The crowning moment of the Italian referee's career was the 2002 World Cup final between Brazil and Germany.
Collina was known for his piercing facial expressions, but he always found time for a pat on the back, a smile, or a calm word - even during the World Cup final. In the middle of the second half, Brazilian defender Edmilson twice put on new football shirts the wrong way around instead of angrily pointing to the clock to indicate that time would be added, Collina smiled widely, sharing this amusing moment with tens of millions of viewers worldwide.
His ability to connect on the field did not prevent him from making decisions that caused endless discussions - especially in the most intense "Serie A" matches.
In 1997, he disallowed a goal by Milan against Turin at the San Siro stadium and immediately ran to the Inter bench to explain his decision to Milan's coach Roy Hodgson. It was an action that sparked heated debates in Italy.
The players of "Bologna" and "Parma" should also be cautious in saying goodbye to Collina after Saturday's match. In 1998, Argentine defender Jose Antonio Chamotas was suspended for one game for pressing Collina's hand too hard after the match, as noted in Collina's match report.
