UEFA make Newcastle United official decision ahead of AC Milan clash after major PSG controversy

Newcastle United will be hoping to secure their spot in the Champions League last-16 on Wednesday evening (8pm kick-off).

The Magpies host AC Milan at St James' Park needing a win to have a chance of progression. A win may not even be enough should Paris Saint-Germain also win at Borussia Dortmund.

But there will still be plenty to play for regardless of the result at the Signal Iduna Park as a result for Newcastle would at least guarantee Europa League football come the new year. And the match officials for the final group stage match against Milan have now been confirmed.

Dutch official Danny Makkelie has been appointed as referee for Newcastle's match against Milan at St James' Park. He will be assisted by Hessel Steegstra and Jan De Vries with Allard Lindhout as fourth official.

Rob Dieperink will be video assistant referee, assisted by Clay Ruperti. Newcastle were on the receiving end of a major VAR blunder in their previous Champions League match at PSG.

The Magpies were leading 1-0 deep into stoppage time when PSG were awarded a controversial penalty for a handball against Tino Livramento. Kylian Mbappe converted the spot kick to rescue a point for the Ligue 1 champions.

However, the VAR intervention that led to the penalty being awarded went against UEFA guidance issued earlier this year regarding handball offences. The ball deflected up off Livramento's body and onto his elbow with PSG's appeals for handball initially waved away by referee Szymon Marciniak.

A UEFA statement issued last season read: "In their guidelines for next season, the Board recommends that UEFA should clarify that no handball offence should be called on a player if the ball is previously deflected from his own body and, in particular, when the ball does not go toward the goal."

VAR official Thomas Kwiatkowski who decided to intervene was then withdrawn from VAR duty for the following night's match between Real Sociedad and RB Salzburg. All of the officials involved in Newcastle's 1-1 draw at PSG last month have not been appointed for any matchday six fixtures this week.

Wednesday's referee Makkelie is also a part-time police inspector and has plenty of experience officiating across Europe. In 2020 he took charge of the Europa League final in 2020. He has also refereed at Euro 2020, the 2022 World Cup and was video assistant referee for the 2018 World Cup final and 2019 Champions League final.