Best Referees for Cards (UK & Europe) – 2025 Guide

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Fraser Bricknell

Tipman founder, lifelong football fan and stats-driven tipster with seven years of winning experience.

Published Date: November 20, 2025 10:39 PM

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Best Referees for Cards (UK & Europe) – 2025 Guide

Card betting always starts with the referee. Some officials let the game breathe. Others set the tone early and stay strict for 90 minutes. Knowing who is in charge is one of the biggest edges in booking points and player card markets.

This guide highlights the referees across the Premier League, La Liga, Serie A and European competitions who consistently produce card-heavy matches in the 2025–26 season.

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League Card Trends in 2025–26

Before looking at individual referees, it helps to understand what each league is delivering for cards this season.

Premier League

The Premier League sits at around 3.7 yellow cards per match so far. Not the highest league for cards, but several officials are well above that baseline.

La Liga

La Liga continues to be one of the most card-friendly leagues in Europe, averaging roughly 4.3 yellow cards per match this season.

Serie A

Serie A is close behind with just over 4.0 yellow cards per match, with several referees regularly producing far higher totals.

These league averages help set expectations before looking at the match referee.

Premier League Referees to Follow for Cards

Samuel Barrott

Samuel Barrott has emerged as one of the strictest referees in the Premier League this season.

6 matches
32 yellow cards, 1 red
Over five cards per game

He books early and rarely calms down, making him ideal for high booking points and player card multiples.

Stuart Attwell

Attwell continues to trend high for card totals.

8 matches
40+ yellows and a red
Just above five cards per game

Aggressive midfield battles and high-pressure fixtures suit him perfectly for overs.

Simon Hooper

Hooper is another consistently busy referee.

8 matches
38 yellows, 2 reds
Around five cards per game

He is reliable for team cards and strong for second-half bookings when matches get stretched.

Peter Bankes

Bankes delivers steady numbers just behind the top group.

8 matches
33 yellows, 2 reds
Around 4.4 cards per game

He’s ideal for fixtures that are naturally physical or tactically intense.

Darren England

More balanced than the names above but still above average.

6 matches
23 cards
Just under four cards per game

Most useful for individual booking angles and fouls-to-card combinations.

La Liga Referees Who Drive High Card Totals

La Liga remains the best league in Europe for consistent card volume, and several referees stand out clearly this season.

Alejandro Muñiz Ruiz

One of the most extreme card referees anywhere in Europe.

4 matches
27 yellows, 1 red
Seven cards per game

A dream referee for high booking points and multiple player cards.

Javier Alberola Rojas

Another La Liga official producing strong numbers.

6 matches
33 yellows, 2 reds
Around 5.8 cards per game

Brilliant for games with history or obvious tactical friction.

Alejandro Quintero González

Consistently high on bookings and reds.

6 matches
31 yellows, 4 reds
Around 5.8 cards per game

Ideal for red card markets and big-price send-off bets.

Iosu Galech Apezteguia

Steady and card-friendly.

7 matches
33 yellows
Around 4.7 cards per game

Isidro Díaz de Mera

Similar profile with more reds.

7 matches
28 yellows, 5 reds
Around 4.7 cards per game

His matches are strong for aggressive bet builders involving both teams.

César Soto Grado

One of Spain’s highest long-term card givers.

Career average sits above five yellows per match
Produces reds regularly across domestic and European fixtures

Very reliable when you expect a fiery game.

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Serie A Referees to Target in 2025–26

Serie A referees remain some of the most assertive in Europe, with multiple officials trending above five cards per match.

Marco Guida

5 matches
25 yellows
Five cards per game

Guida is dependable in games involving physical midfields or high-stakes battles.

Kevin Bonacina

4 matches
19 yellows, 1 red
Five cards per game

A rising referee delivering big numbers in a small sample.

Giovanni Ayroldi

5 matches
23 yellows, 1 red
About 4.8 cards per game

Perfect for tactical foul-heavy fixtures.

Simone Sozza

5 matches
18 yellows, 5 reds
About 4.6 cards per game

One of the best referees in Europe for red card markets.

Daniele Doveri

5 matches
20 yellows
Four cards per game

Stable, consistent and still capable of big totals when the match demands it.

European Referees for Big Champions League Nights

Clément Turpin

Turpin is controlled, experienced and rarely chaotic.

Around 3.5 yellows per match recently
Long-term average just above three cards per match

Best used in tactical or less volatile fixtures.

Jesús Gil Manzano

One of the most well-known card-heavy referees in Europe.

Long-term numbers around five cards per match
High red-card probability in emotionally charged or high-stakes games

Excellent for card accas, high booking points and red card angles.

César Soto Grado (UEFA)

His card-heavy La Liga trends usually carry straight into European fixtures. Perfect for overs when he takes charge of games involving physical English or Italian sides.

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How to Use Referee Card Data

The value comes from combining referee trends with fixture context.

Check the league baseline

La Liga and Serie A naturally produce more cards. Lower lines in these leagues can still be strong bets.

Know the referee averages

A referee giving five or more cards per match this season is a genuine signal, not noise.

Layer referee + matchup

Physical teams, derby atmospheres, high-pressing sides and defensive midfield battles all magnify a strict referee’s impact.

Choose the right market

Card-heavy referees suit:
• booking points
• over card lines
• multi-player card builders
• red card markets
More balanced referees suit:
• single player cards
• targeted tactical fouls
• unders when fixture intensity is low

Final Verdict

Knowing which referees consistently produce high card totals is one of the strongest edges in card betting. The officials above aren’t picked on reputation — they’re producing clear, consistent card numbers in the 2025–26 season.

Pairing referee tendencies with fixture intensity, team style and player roles is one of the smartest ways to build profitable booking points and player card bets.

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Best Referees for Cards (UK & Europe) – 2025 Guide

Premier League

La Liga

Serie A

Samuel Barrott

Stuart Attwell

Simon Hooper

Peter Bankes

Darren England

Alejandro Muñiz Ruiz

Javier Alberola Rojas

Alejandro Quintero González

Iosu Galech Apezteguia

Isidro Díaz de Mera

César Soto Grado

Marco Guida

Kevin Bonacina

Giovanni Ayroldi

Simone Sozza

Daniele Doveri

Clément Turpin

Jesús Gil Manzano

César Soto Grado (UEFA)

Check the league baseline

Know the referee averages

Layer referee + matchup

Choose the right market

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