In a time when Croatian football was marred by one of its most controversial refereeing scandals, German referee Daniel Siebert managed to quell the passions and demonstrate his class during the Derby between Hajduk and Dinamo on Poljud Stadium. From the first to the last minute, he authoritatively made decisions that did not provoke significant criticism from either of the fan camps.
To recall, Siebert officiated the biggest Croatian derby after Bruno Marić, the head of Croatian referees, resigned following the 'VARGate' scandal. The Croatian Football Federation (HNS) then decided to employ foreign referees for derbies, and Siebert was the first to be entrusted with this honor, leaving perhaps the strongest impression.
Siebert is recognized as one of the best European referees, which explains why UEFA has entrusted him with the Champions League final, where Paris Saint-Germain and Arsenal will face off on Saturday, May 30.
This will be Siebert's ninth match this season in the Champions League and his first final under UEFA's auspices. He will be assisted by Jan Seidel and Rafael Foltyn, while Bastian Dankert will be in the VAR room. Siebert has also officiated two matches at the 2024 European Championship, although he was not among the referees FIFA delegated for the World Cup in the USA, Canada, and Mexico.
This is the kind of class we need on the pitch! Siebert's presence at the final is a testament to his skills. But will he keep the peace with all the drama PSG and Arsenal bring? Let's see if he can handle the pressure!