UEFA has appointed Italian referee Davide Massa to officiate Barcelona’s Champions League encounter against Aston Villa on Tuesday, November 3, at the Spotify Camp Nou.
The match will be part of the fourth round of the 2026-2027 Champions League league phase as both teams seek to strengthen their positions in the competition.
Massa will be assisted by compatriots Alessio Berti and Filippo Meli, who will serve as assistant referees, while Fabio Maresca has been appointed as the fourth official.
Germany’s Bastian Dankert will oversee the video assistant referee system, with Switzerland’s Lukas Fändrich serving as his assistant.
The appointment marks the second time Massa will referee a Barcelona match. He previously took charge of the Catalan club’s 2-1 victory over Eintracht Frankfurt at the Spotify Camp Nou last season, when defender Jules Koundé scored twice to help Barcelona secure the win.
Aston Villa head into the encounter in impressive form, having won all three of their opening league-phase matches.
They are among the teams with perfect records, alongside Paris Saint-Germain, Liverpool, Real Madrid and Real Betis, making the English side a significant test for Barcelona.
Barcelona, meanwhile, began their European campaign with two victories before suffering a 4-2 defeat to Paris Saint-Germain at the Parc des Princes in their most recent Champions League outing.
The Spanish side will be eager to return to winning ways and strengthen their chances of securing direct qualification for the round of 16.
Head coach Hansi Flick and his players received a confidence boost after their victory over Deportivo Alavés in La Liga last Saturday.
Barcelona will now look to carry that momentum into Tuesday’s fixture, with a victory potentially helping them improve their position in the league-phase standings.
The clash will also take place on the anniversary of Barcelona’s famous comeback against Paris Saint-Germain in 2017, widely known as the “Remontada.” With Aston Villa arriving in strong form and Barcelona seeking a response to their European setback, the encounter promises to be an important test for both sides.
