Daniel Siebert to referee PSG v Arsenal final amid split opinions in Germany | OneFootball

Daniel Siebert will take charge of the Champions League final between PSG and Arsenal in Budapest, yet the German official remains a divisive figure in Germany and Europe.

On 10 December he oversaw PSG’s 0-0 draw at Bilbao in the group stage. He then handled Arsenal’s quarter-final first leg win against Sporting on seven April, and the semi-final return on five May, when Arsenal beat Atlético 1-0 and a possible Griezmann penalty was not given. It will be his third Arsenal assignment in under two months. Sky Sport Deutschland aired criticism from Lothar Matthäus.

Matthäus says Siebert is not always consistent on fouls and offsides, often hesitating over whether to play on or whistle, and should be more decisive. He also says Siebert tends to accept mistakes and is generally honest.

Calm and composed but not especially open to dialogue with players or benches, Siebert has sparked disputes in the Bundesliga and German Cup. In Bayern Munich v RB Leipzig on 11 February, finished 2-0, the defeated coach Ole Werner said he tried to shake hands at full time but was ignored and that he struggled to understand the referee’s attitude.

A Bundesliga referee for 14 years and on UEFA duty for 11, he now reaches the peak of his career at the Puskas Arena. The appointment also eases the blow of missing the forthcoming World Cup after working at Qatar 2022 and the past two European Championships. Saturday will mark his 10th Champions League match of the season.

Source: L'Équipe