Who is referee for Chelsea vs Real Madrid? Daniele Orsato will take charge of Champions League clash

Chelsea face a crucial Champions League night on April 18 as they look to overturn a 2-0 first-leg defeat to defending champions Real Madrid in the return fixture.

Frank Lampard's side were overpowered in Madrid, as goals from Karim Benzema and Marco Asensio sealed a routine victory for Carlo Ancelotti's side and put Chelsea on the brink of quarterfinal elimination.

Despite both of these teams being involved in some memorable continental clashes in recent seasons, Chelsea's poor form makes a comeback seem unlikely, as the club aim to battle on until the end of a hugely disappointing season.

Italian referee Daniele Orsato has been selected by UEFA as the match referee and he will be tasked with controlling a fixture which has featured an average of six cards in previous Champions League encounters.

Here are all the details on who the referee is for Chelsea vs Real Madrid, plus a look at his record, philosophy and more.

MORE: Biggest Chelsea Champions League comebacks: The largest deficits overcome

Who is referee for Chelsea vs Real Madrid?

Daniele Orsato will lead an Italian team of officials at Stamford Bridge, joined by assistants Alessandro Giallatini and Ciro Carbone, with Maurizio Mariani named as the fourth official.

Video Assistant Referee (VAR) duties will be covered by Massimiliano Irrati and Paolo Valericomo.

Despite being one of UEFA's most experienced referees at Champions League level, the appointment of Orsato for this fixture has caused controversy, particularly for Real Madrid. 

The 47-year-old was in charge for Los Blancos' 2-0 Champions League semifinal second-leg defeat to Chelsea in 2021 as Thomas Tuchel's side eventually went on to win the competition.

⚽️ May 2021 (SF second-leg)
⚽️ April 2022 (QF second-leg)

👏 Mason Mount loves scoring against Real Madrid in the #UCL.

A perfect start for #CFC who half the hosts’ advantage! 🔵

📹 @btsportfootball #RMACHE pic.twitter.com/HyREYUAIlO

— 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐍𝐞𝐰𝐬 UK (@sportingnewsuk) April 12, 2022

However, his flashpoints with the Spanish giants came either side of that game, including a red card for Sergio Ramos in Real Madrid's 2019/20 Round of 16 first-leg defeat to Manchester City.

The decision came just minutes after awarding a penalty against Dani Carvajal, which Kevin De Bruyne converted, before Ramos' trip on Gabriel Jesus.

Orsato was also on the whistle for Real Madrid's 1-0 last-16 defeat to Paris Saint-Germain last season, as Kylian Mbappe netted a late winner, and their wild 3-1 comeback win over City a few weeks later.

Despite being in charge for the famous victory against City, Orsato found himself at the centre of another Real Madrid-themed storm at the 2022 World Cup, following Argentina's 3-0 semifinal win over Croatia.

Los Blancos veteran and Croatia skipper Luka Modric slammed Orsato at full time following his decision not to award two penalties and the 37-year-old labelled him as "a disaster".

Luka Modric said referee Daniele Orsato was a 'disaster' and one of the worst he knows 😮 pic.twitter.com/5gLIsUwCEd

— ESPN FC (@ESPNFC) December 14, 2022

Orsato's reputation as a 'card happy' Champions League referee has reduced this season, with 16 bookings handed out in six games so far in 2022/23, compared to a hefty 36 from six in 2021/22.

MORE: Chelsea goals this season: 2022/23 Premier League total compared to club records

Daniele Orsato's record refereeing Chelsea and Real Madrid

As a combined total, Orsato has officiated 12 games featuring either Chelsea and Real Madrid, including their 2021 clash at Stamford Bridge.

What time is Chelsea vs Real Madrid kick off?

This Champions League match kicks off at Stamford Bridge on Tuesday, April 18 at 8:00 p.m. local time.

Here's how that time translates across some of the major territories:

Chelsea vs Real Madrid live stream, TV channel

Here's how to watch all of the action from this match in some of the major territories:

UK: The match will be broadcast on BT Sport 1 and streamed on BT Sport platforms.

USA: This match will be televised on Univision, with each broadcast streamed on Fubo. Paramount+ will also carry the English-language stream for subscribers, as will ViX+ in Spanish.

Canada: Every Champions League game streams live on DAZN.

Australia: Every UEFA Champions League match streams ad-free on Stan Sport, live and on demand.