Collina to referee opening fixture
科利纳将执法欧洲杯揭幕战

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Thursday, June 10, 2004 Posted: 1314 GMT (2114 HKT)
LISBON, Portugal -- Italian Pierluigi Collina has been handed the honor of refereeing the opening Euro 2004 match between hosts Portugal and Greece.

The man regarded as the best referee in the world will officiate the Group A game in Porto on Saturday.

The European Championship will be the last major international tournament for the 44-year-old who refereed the 2002 World Cup final.

"I am very happy," Collina said. "It is the first time that I've even been appointed for the opening match of a tournament. An opening match is always special."

Collina's other big matches include the 1999 Champions League final between Manchester United and Bayern Munich and the 2004 UEFA Cup final between Valencia and Olympique Marseille.

German Markus Merk will take charge of the heavyweight opening Group B clash between France and England on Sunday while Sweden's Anders Frisk will referee the Group D match between old rivals Germany and the Netherlands on Tuesday.