Can Messi keep balancing his Marciniak memories?

If it wasn't obvious before, I think the match between Argentina and the Netherlands laid to rest all doubts about the importance of the referee in a football match.

Last heard, the chief official of that match, Mateu Lahoz, was on his way home to Spain, booking luggage handlers, ticketing agents and, if rumors are to be believed, all babies that were crying on the flight on the way. Apparently, he thought that they looked like De Paul. I am joking, of course. He thought they all looked like Dumfries. I am joking again. 

But yes, referees are important. So let us look at the man who will officiate the final between La Albiceleste and Les Bleus. His name is Szymon Marciniak, 41, from Poland. He began his officiating career in Poland in 2009, and became a FIFA enlisted referee in 2013. His resume includes multiple high profile Champions League encounters, and two matches in this World Cup.

In this World Cup, he has booked five players and has not sent any off. All in all, a man of solid credentials, and good news for those looking forward to a well officiated match.

Except maybe for Argentina fans. You see, at club level, Lionel Messi has not previously had very good luck when Marciniak was officiating. He was in charge when Leo's Barcelona suffered a horrific 4-0 defeat at the hands of PSG in the 2016/17 Champions League's round of 16. The Blaugrana, of course, managed to overturn that deficit in the Camp Nou return with a famous 6-1 victory, but Marciniak did not officiate that game.

Messi and Szymon again took the field together during the quarter-finals of the same tournament, when Barcelona took on Juventus in Turin. The Catalans lost 3-0 to I Bianconeri, a deficit that they were unable to overcome in the second leg, crashing out of the Champions League after a limp 0-0 draw.

As bright as Marciniak's star is at this moment, it seems that he augurs some dark clouds for the little magician from Rosario. However, earlier in Qatar, Messi had somewhat balanced his personal record with the Pole when La Albiceleste overcame the Aussies in their last 16 clash. 

But do not fret too much Argentina fans. Messi's latest run seems more about the perfection of faith than the vagaries of fate. As long as the fans and players keep heart, all should be close to fine. Just try not to harass the referee too much. Even faith has its limits when it comes to overcoming bad karma.