The referee set to officiate the 2026 Champions League final between Arsenal and Paris Saint-Germain has a controversial past, having been told by former Manchester United striker Edinson Cavani that he 'should be put in jail'. German official Daniel Siebert will take charge of the showpiece event on May 30, but his history with high-profile matches includes a stormy encounter at the 2022 World Cup.
During Uruguay's 2-0 win over Ghana in Qatar, Siebert rejected several penalty appeals from the South American side. Despite the victory, Uruguay were eliminated on goals scored after South Korea's late win over Portugal. At full-time, Cavani punched a VAR monitor in frustration and confronted Siebert, later saying: 'They have to put him in jail. 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.'
Siebert went on to referee at Euro 2024 but was not selected for the 2026 World Cup. This season, he has taken charge of two Arsenal matches in the Champions League—a 1-0 quarter-final win over Sporting CP and a 1-0 semi-final victory against Atletico Madrid—as well as one PSG fixture, a goalless draw with Athletic Bilbao. Arsenal have not received a single red card all season, which may offer some reassurance.
The Gunners are aiming to avoid a repeat of the refereeing controversy that marred their only previous final appearance in 2006, when goalkeeper Jens Lehmann was sent off against Barcelona. PSG, meanwhile, are seeking to become only the second club to defend the Champions League title.
