Skomina set for big stage

Damir Skomina will carry the best wishes of Slovenia with him when he referees Saturday's UEFA European Under-21 Championship final between the Netherlands and Serbia at the Euroborg in Groningen.

High-flier
His appointment - as the youngest referee in the tournament at the tender age of 30 - continues an impressive rise up the refereeing ladder that has already seen him gain recognition at other UEFA youth competitions.

Third time lucky
Skomina, from the town of Koper on the Slovenian coast near the Italian border, was fourth official at two youth finals before landing this assignment - the UEFA European U19 Championship decider between England and France in Belfast in 2005, and the U17 showpiece contested by Portugal and Spain in Viseu in 2003. Now the proud father of a one-year-old boy has the chance to take the whistle himself in a UEFA tournament final.

Adrenalin flowing
Although he will keep his emotions in check when the teams line up for the national anthems in Groningen, he will make doubly sure the adrenalin continues flowing ahead of the action. "You have to have this before a game," he told uefa.com from the referees' headquarters in Delden, in the eastern Netherlands. "I will prepare normally. A little breakfast and then light jogging. Then, just before the match, I try and clear my head, concentrate and make sure I am self-confident and calm."

Double delight
Skomina's qualities have already shone through at two matches at this event - the curtain-raiser between the Netherlands and Israel in Heerenveen, and the exciting draw between England and Italy in Arnhem. "It was a pleasure just to be appointed for the tournament, so you can imagine it is even more pleasing to be given the final," added Skomina, who will be accompanied by assistant referees Manuel Navarro of Switzerland and Slovakian Tomas Mokos, with Stéphane Lannoy from France acting as fourth official.

Teenage kicks
It will be the highest point yet in a career that began when he was 16. "I was just asked if I wanted to try," he recalled. "For the first few years, I was refereeing at youth level. I didn't set myself big goals, but started thinking about how far I could go when I was promoted to the Slovenian top flight in 2000." For all his youth, Skomina is determined to be his own man. "I look at other referees, but it's important to me to have my own style - I don't copy anyone," he stressed. "And it's important to have mental strength because if you don't, it's impossible to be in charge of a game." Skomina's calm assurance should help cool emotions as the Netherlands and Serbia battle for supremacy at a sold-out Euroborg.