England-Croatia referee was called Grade E by Tuchel

England-Croatia referee was called Grade E by TuchelImage source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Turpin sent Tuchel to the stands in the Champions League against Manchester CityByCharlotte CoatesBBC Sport journalistPublished4 minutes ago1 CommentsClement Turpin has been appointed referee for England's opening World Cup game against Croatia on Wednesday - and was once labelled a "Grade E" official by head coach Thomas Tuchel. The French official sent then Bayern Munich boss Tuchel to the stands, showing him two yellow cards in the German club's Champions League quarter-final against Manchester City in April 2023.In the second leg in Germany, Turpin produced five yellow cards in the first half and a straight red for Bayern defender Dayot Upamecano for a last-man challenge on Erling Haaland, but an offside call from the video assistant referee (VAR) reversed the decision. Bayern's 4-1 aggregate loss prompted Tuchel to criticise Turpin post-match, saying: "Two things couldn't keep up with the level - the pitch wasn't in good condition and also the referee, unfortunately, was Grade E."I'd give him a one out of 10. He was absolutely terrible. It's unbelievable at this level. "He was whistling for everything and anything. Everything was against us. "In the end, we were never in a position to turn things around with three men against us. That's a fact."England midfielder Jude Bellingham has also seen Turpin's no-nonsense approach first-hand. While playing for Real Madrid, Bellingham was pushed away from the penalty spot by Turpin while trying to put Bayern's Harry Kane off taking a penalty.Despite his run-ins with Tuchel and Bellingham, Turpin is regarded as one of Europe's best referees - taking charge of the 2021 Europa League final and 2022 Champions League final. Turpin was also selected to officiate at Euro 2024, where he took charge of England's 0-0 draw with Slovenia. Related t...