Man Utd vs Copenhagen referee was forced to suspend game due to earthquake

Champions League referee Marco Guida once had to pause a fixture due to an earthquake that measured 6.1 on the Richter Scale.

The Italian, who takes charge of Manchester United vs Copenhagen at Old Trafford on Tuesday evening, paused a game between Pescara and Atalanta due to the effects of a severe earthquake in southern Italy.

The 2016 quake killed an estimated 295 in the region but no-one was hurt at the Serie A fixture which resumed two minutes after the ground briefly shook.

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Around 90 minutes before kick-off, an earthquake with a magnitude of 5.4 was felt at the Stadio Adriatico, with the bigger quake coming 32 minutes into the game.

Players were stopped in their tracks by Guida before being able to continue when it halted, with Atalanta winning 1-0.

Pescara defender Hugo Campagnaro said at the time: "At the time we didn't realise anything, because we were moving. Then, once we heard the fans shouting and saw people leaving, we understood."

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Atalanta defender Mattia Caldara added: "We didn't feel anything on the pitch. But my teammates told me that the substitutes' bench shook."

Valnerina valley was registered as the epicentre of the tremors, between the cities of Macerata and Perugia. Guida has been a FIFA referee for almost a decade and it ranked in UEFA's first category.

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His Serie A bow came back in 2010, with his European debut coming in Bulgaria four years later. Back in 2018, he even had a spell in the Chinese Super League.

United will be hoping to see Guida point to the centre circle for multiple home goals on Tuesday after losing their opening two matches. The contest is also set to feature an emotional tribute to Sir Bobby Charlton, in their first home game since his passing at the age of 86.

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