Bowing out at the top

By Greg Demetriou & Paul Saffer

There can be few better ways to end a distinguished refereeing career than by taking charge of a big European final, and on Saturday Pedro Ángel Galán Nieto will do just that.

Long career
The 45-year-old Spaniard has been a top Futsal official for a quarter of a century, and has handled many of the sport's showpieces, including the 2003 UEFA Futsal Championship final in Italy. However, the decider of the club equivalent, the UEFA Futsal Cup, remained out of his reach as Spanish sides reached and won the first three finals.

Exciting occasion
This year, though, Action 21 Charleroi and MFK Dinamo Moskva both eliminated representatives from Spain in the second qualifying round, and Galán Nieto was duly appointed, along with Croatia's Ivan Novak, to handle the second leg in the Russian capital, with the score tantalisingly poised at 4-3 to visitors Charleroi.

Dream ending
Galán Nieto is understandably proud. "To referee the second leg of the UEFA Futsal Cup final is a dream that I could not have expected a few weeks ago," he told uefa.com. "I think this is the game that every referee hopes for as the last game of his career and I am very proud. Unfortunately, only two referees can be on the pitch, but it is a honour for me to be there on behalf of all referees in Europe."

Spanish setback
There are mixed feelings, none the less, as the trophy finally leaves Spain for the first time. "As part of the Spanish Futsal family, it's sad," Galán Nieto said. "But I think it's very good for European Futsal that no Spanish teams reached the final this time. Even for Spanish teams it is good because that means that they need to work harder next year."

‘Time to stop’
One think he is sure of, though, is that it is the moment for him to move on. He said: "If I am honest, after more that 2,850 domestic and 310 international games, I really think it is time to make way for the new generation of referees. It's the circle of life. Europe has a very good crop of young referees so one must know when it's time to stop. I think this game is my time."

New opportunities
Galán Nieto is not leaving Futsal completely, however. "I am already working as a FIFA Futsal instructor," he said. "In the first week of May I go to Qatar for a seminar with the referees of the Qatar Football Association. Then next November, UEFA organises the second seminar for Futsal referees and hopefully I will be helping the refereeing department in the development of Futsal referees in Europe. I am also hoping to be appointed President of the Spanish Futsal referees body in the near future."

Global Futsal family
Still, he cannot help but look back on a career which to call 'full' would be an understatement. He said: "You can have good memories of a particular game, but the most important memories are of the people I have met during these last 25 years. Money cannot buy that. I am very proud to say that I have a friend in every continent. My wish for coming years in whatever I do in the Futsal family is to increase my number of friends and to help develop Futsal all around the world."