Rosetti's final challenge

Having taken charge of the opening game of UEFA EURO 2008™, Italian referee Roberto Rosetti will also bring the tournament to a close after being appointed for Sunday's final at the Ernst-Happel-Stadion in Vienna.

Semi-final appointments
As well as Switzerland's opening loss to the Czech Republic, the 40-year-old was in the middle for the quarter-final between Turkey and Croatia. He will be accompanied by compatriots and assistants Alessandro Griselli and Paolo Calcagno for the final, with Swedish referee Peter Fröjdfelt acting as fourth official. Meanwhile, Switzerland's Massimo Busacca will take charge of the semi-final between Turkey and Germany in Basel on Wednesday, while Belgian Frank De Bleeckere has been chosen for Thursday's other last-four meeting between Russia and Spain in Vienna.

'Delighted'
Rosetti told euro2008.com: "This is a great satisfaction for me, I'm delighted. I would like to share this moment with all Italian referees as well as with those who are close to me. However, this is not only my appointment – it's the appointment of a team together with my assistants Alessandro and Paolo. We're all looking forward to the final with all of its emotion and atmosphere."

Rapid rise
He received his FIFA international badge in 2002 and that spring Rosetti first tasted continental competition at the UEFA European Under-17 Championship, where he refereed the final between Switzerland and France, and has enjoyed a rapid rise to the very highest levels of football. That was underlined when he was one of the European referees chosen for the 2006 FIFA World Cup where he took charge of four matches, including the second-round meeting between Spain and France, and at 1.90m was the tallest official at the finals. Rosetti had earlier refereed at the 2003 FIFA U-20 World Cup – where he was again given responsibility for the final involving Brazil and Spain – and then, in summer 2005, had three games at the FIFA Confederations Cup in Germany.

Highly regarded
The Turin-based hospital manager, who speaks English and French and enjoys playing tennis in his spare time, has been a highly regarded match official in Italy for several years. Now a regular in the UEFA Champions League, he was the referee for last season's semi-final second leg between Chelsea FC and Liverpool FC at Stamford Bridge.