With the 45 year old Spaniard set to step down from the world stage, tonight’s UEFA Cup Final match up between Ukrainian side FC Shakhtar Donetsk and the Bundesliga’s Werder Bremen at the Sükrü ?araco?lu Stadium will mark the final International match Luis Medina Cantalejo will be in charge of.

Via UEFA  

“This will be one of the games that will remain in my mind in a very positive way.”

“There are a few games, which I will always remember: my three Madrid-Barça fixtures; all the games I did at the World Cup in Germany, especially the France-Brazil quarter-final; both Copa del Rey finals and how can I forget the 4-4 between Chelsea FC and Liverpool FC at Stamford Bridge? I will always remember this UEFA Cup final too, which represents the full-stop after so many years of work.”

“Before such a game we try to relax,” he said. “We talk a little bit and try to practice the communication techniques between the assistants, the fourth official and the referee. We put some music on and try to take some time to relax because it is not worth getting nervous. You just need to be well prepared because football is a lottery; an incident can happen at any moment and it is crucial to have the composure to take the correct decision.”

An international referee since 2002, with 45 UEFA competition games under his belt, Cantalejo believes experience is crucial when handling big games. “A top referee needs a strong personality,” he said. “After 26 years of refereeing, I come to games well prepared and not nervous. I have the ability to completely focus before a game. I know what I’m doing, I know that I’m prepared, that my team is the best. I have been at big events, at a World Cup, at UEFA Champions League and UEFA Cup games, and I have to say that I can’t remember being nervous before a game.”

“If you set your standards and take control of the game from the beginning, you can release the reins slowly, but the players need to know that it is the referee who has control of the game, and not the media, the players or the coaches. From there on, if the players understand you and if you gain their respect, you can let them go a little bit, so that the game develops in its own way.”

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