The spectators of the Arsenal vs Porto match were astounded by the uncanny resemblance in appearance between referee Clement Turpin and Arsenal forward Leandro Trossard.
The referee of the Arsenal vs Porto match caused a stir, with many humorously questioning whether the French official was the long-lost twin of the Belgian striker.
In the second leg of the Round of 16 at the Emirates Stadium, Trossard opened the scoring for Arsenal late in the first half after a splendid assist from Martin Odegaard. However, the viewers were more intrigued by the French referee’s striking resemblance to Trossard, as if they were twins.
After the halftime whistle, Turpin was seen conversing with Trossard as they both left the field. Walking side by side, spectators were truly astonished by the striking similarity in appearance between Turpin and Trossard.
A social media account sarcastically remarked, “UEFA has appointed Trossard’s doppelgänger to officiate the Arsenal vs Porto match. This needs to be investigated by the European Court.” Others chimed in, “It’s no wonder Trossard’s brother is refereeing, so it’s no surprise he scored.” “Just look at the Trossard brothers chatting with each other,” “I can’t tell the difference between them,” were some other notable comments.
Clement Turpin is one of the most respected referees in the world of football. The 41-year-old referee has officiated in two World Cups and two European Championships. Additionally, Turpin refereed the 2022 UEFA Champions League final between Real Madrid and Liverpool.
Despite being jokingly referred to as “family” by Trossard, Turpin’s fair officiating demonstrated that he had no bias towards the Arsenal player. The French referee disallowed a goal scored by Martin Odegaard against Porto, as he believed Kai Havertz had fouled Pepe prior to the goal. Manager Mikel Arteta’s vehement protest led to Turpin issuing a yellow card as a warning.