The referee set to officiate the 2026 Champions League final between Arsenal and Paris Saint-Germain has been at the centre of controversy in the past. German official Daniel Siebert, one of the Bundesliga's most experienced referees, was heavily criticised by former Manchester United striker Edinson Cavani following Uruguay's 2-0 win over Ghana at the 2022 World Cup.
Controversy at the World Cup
Despite securing victory, Uruguay were eliminated from the group stage on goals scored after South Korea's late win over Portugal. Tempers flared at full-time, with Cavani among several Uruguay players confronting the match officials. The striker also punched a VAR monitor in frustration after the final whistle.
Speaking after the match, Cavani did not hold back in his criticism of Siebert. "They have to put him in jail," he said. "But if they penalise me for hitting the VAR, the referee, for having taken us out of the World Cup, they have to put him in jail."
During the game, Uruguay had several penalty appeals waved away, adding to their sense of injustice. Some players even chased Siebert down the tunnel after the final whistle.
Cavani's call for understanding
When later asked about potential disciplinary action for his reaction, Cavani urged greater empathy for players in high-stakes moments. "These are things that happen... they have to get a little on the footballer's side, not only the referee and others," he said. "It's okay that we have to maintain behaviour, but we are human beings. When things happen with passion and you work so hard to get there, the reaction of a footballer can be, not justified, but a little more forgiven."
Siebert went on to referee further matches at Euro 2024 but was not selected for the 2026 World Cup. This Saturday, he will take charge of his first Champions League final.
Arsenal's history with referees in finals
Arsenal head into the match as underdogs against PSG, who aim to become only the second club to defend the Champions League trophy. The Gunners will hope to avoid refereeing controversies after the heartbreak of their only previous final appearance in 2006 against Barcelona. In that match, goalkeeper Jens Lehmann was sent off midway through the first half. Despite taking the lead through Sol Campbell, late goals from Samuel Eto'o and Juliano Belletti turned the game in Barcelona's favour.
Arsenal have not received a single red card all season and may take encouragement from their experiences with Siebert this campaign. The German has officiated two of their Champions League matches: a 1-0 quarter-final victory over Sporting CP and a 1-0 semi-final win against Atletico Madrid. Siebert also took charge of one PSG fixture this season: a goalless draw with Atletico Bilbao in the league phase.
Fans can watch the Champions League final on HBO Max via Prime Video's HBO Max channel.
