Spanish official set for showpiece

By Paul Saffer in Tirrenia

Whatever the international tournament, for a referee to be asked to take charge of the final is a great honour.

Final referee
Spain's Bernardino González Vázquez will be the man in the middle for Saturday's UEFA European Under-17 Championship final between the Netherlands and Turkey in Pontedera. He was selected from among the panel of six up-and-coming referees for this event, and ensures a Spanish presence in the showpiece for the third consecutive year, their team having been U17 runners-up in 2003 and 2004.

Previous experience
In his first year on the international list, González Vázquez has been the fourth official at UEFA Champions League matches, including the first knockout round encounter between Manchester United FC and AC Milan, and has experience in the Primera División.

International box
But this is the 39-year-old's biggest national team occasion as a referee, and he is following in the footsteps of the likes of Anders Frisk and Michel Girard, who officiated at the previous U16 final in past seasons. "I have refereed in the top Spanish division for four years, but I started refereeing in 1984 - 21 years ago!" he told uefa.com. "This is my first international tournament."

'Important tournament'
On being handed the final, González Vázquez said: "Really, I am very satisfied. First, it has been a very pleasant time in Italy. Second, it is an important tournament, and it is important to be the referee in the final."

'Good experience'
He added: "It has been a very, very good experience. Not just for me, but for all my colleagues. It is a memory I will always have."

Same approach
González Vázquez does not have a different approach to youth football despite the tender age of the players. "On the pitch it is a little bit different, but for a referee the most important thing is to apply the laws of the game," he said. "It is always the same - it is a football match, we must make decisions.

'Normal game'
"For me it is a normal game," he continued. "If the behaviour of the players is good for a referee that is much better, but it all depends on their behaviour."

Spanish pride
But he is certainly proud to be taking the final, not just for himself, but also on behalf of Spanish football. "I think to be at this tournament representing my nation is very important," González Vázquez concluded. "It is important to do a good job in defence of our nationality and domestic competitions."