Daniel Siebert, 42 years old, produced a safe and balanced performance in the Champions League final in Budapest, finding the right point between dialogue with the players and application of the rules. The German referee let the game flow whenever possible, favored communication over the constant threat of cards and avoided protagonism — a stance that earned him a 1 rating from Kicker and praise from several fronts, including the head of German refereeing, Knut Kircher, who highlighted “very focused and linear game management”.
Without losing his firm hand, Siebert showed discretion in key moments: he did not allow a corner kick against Arsenal before the break because he understood that time was wasted, he sanctioned a poorly executed throw-in — something rare at this level —, he scored a successful penalty for PSG and he refused another for Arsenal when Noni Madueke tried to dig out the infraction. Mikel Arteta protested at first, but then ended up backing down and no longer maintaining that there was a clear penalty.
The performance in the European decision, added to the ten matches managed by Siebert in the current edition of the Champions League, would seem to be a strong credential for the next World Cup. Even so, FIFA chose not to include him in the list of referees for the competition, a decision that is strange given the level displayed by the German in the biggest showcase of club football.
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