Referee appointment for the second leg of 2025/26 UEFA Champions League semifinal, Arsenal - Atlético Madrid , to be played on 5 May 2026.
21:00 CET - London (Emirates)
ARSENAL FC (ENG) - CLUB ATLÉTICO DE MADRID (ESP)
Referee: Daniel Siebert GER Assistant Referee 1: Jan Seidel GER
Assistant Referee 2: Rafael Foltyn GER
Fourth Official: Tobias Stieler GER
Video Assistant Referee: Bastian Dankert GER
Assistant Video Assistant Referee: Robert Schröder GER
UEFA Referee Observer: Terje Hauge NOR
It's a German Siebert well deserved with a wonderful season and that puts him ahead of Letexier for the UEL i guess. Great appointment imo he worked himself up to this kind of games on merit, Also wondering why all the contributors forgot him. Congratulations Siebert.
ReplyDeleteUpdated preference list for the CL final:
ReplyDelete1) Oliver
2) Letexier
3) Siebert
4) Zwayer
If Mariani doesn’t get Bayern-PSG…let’s start praying that PSG-Arsenal Final won’t happen (!)
ReplyDeleteBecause MM will be the most obvious candidate in that scenario
DeleteI think if you are to put Zwayer on that list perhaps Taylor should be mentioned as well because he has been better than Zwayer this season.including the games he was appointed to
ReplyDeleteAssuming Oliver is ahead of Taylor, there is no scenario where Taylor gets the final. The corollary is not true for the German candidates: even if Siebert is currently ahead of Zwayer, his semifinal performance could force him out of contention.
DeleteSiebert gets it with Bayern in the other leg…Is the first time this happens?
ReplyDeleteI’d put Kovacs in Munich…
The referees committee are very fortunate that the Arsenal-Atletico second leg was ordered to be the match played on the Tuesday, and not the Wednesday! Kovacs would be a better choice than Mariani (both must have been scored the same -- 7,9 -- in the quarterfinals) for Bayern-PSG indeed.
DeleteKovacs and Vincic, both are great referees but they didn't cover themselves in glory so honestly I wasn't expecting any of two, they were that poor.
DeleteSo in second leg a referee from the nationality of a club that is in the other game, no problems and I agree. This also suggests that they could have appointed Letexier for this one, but they avoided, so indeed he is kept as possible final candidate, waiting for the teams.
ReplyDeleteZwayer should feel not that good, Siebert did what his countryman should have done instead.
We can remember Siebert having very hard times with Atlético, but it seems as now committee forgot about that, and gives another chance to German referee, at Arsenal's home is a bit different, in Spain I think it would have been more difficult to see him assigned, but still possible. Let's see which kind of game will expect the German in London.
And not only this season,we can all remember Atletico vs City 2022.
DeleteBut generally,German refs tend to struggle with chaotic and temperamental teams which is totally opposite with the way they handle matches.
We can all remember that even Brych had hard times with Spanish teams,even Aytekin ,Zwayer and especially Siebert.
Looking forward to see his performance.
My recollection of Brych was not “Brych had hard times with Spanish teams”.
DeleteI like final will be psg vs arsenal to get joao pinheiro the final
ReplyDeleteHahahaha. That's a possibility
DeletePinheiro for WC Final,even if Portugal is in the Final.
DeleteI have to say this is the most deserved appointment in a long time, he’s been outstanding this season, let’s hope he can produce a performance that we can all remember and respect
ReplyDeleteThe more normal way of things would have been to give Siebert the first and Makkelie the second leg (due to experience and due to Bayern in the other game).
ReplyDeleteThis order should confirm, that Makkelie was (or is?) considered for the final and they considered it better to combine that with a first leg than with a second leg.
Furthermore, if Siebert was possible, not only Zwayer and Letexier (as mentioned above) were options, but also Turpin. Not choosing him should mean that UEFA didn't like his QF performance.
This assignment possibly confirms my theory that Szymon Marciniak, after his longer injury break, before he got injured again upon his comeback, shall be "secured" for the World Cup by not taking any further injury risks. According to www.weltfussball.com, he is supposed to officiate the match Radomiak Radom - Lechia Gdańsk in the Polish Ekstraklasa on May 4 and is therefore excluded from Champions League, Europa League, and Conference League. He may have been intended for the match on Tuesday before it was agreed to rest him with the World Cup in mind: https://www.weltfussball.com/person/pe150728/szymon-marciniak/co35/ekstraklasa/se95478/2025-2026/spiele-als-schiedsrichter/
DeleteI am just realizing that Europa League and Conference League are only played on Thursday, three days after his match in the Polish Ekstraklasa tomorrow. In that respect, we could still see him there, less realistically, however, in the Champions League on Wednesday.
DeleteAbout Turpin, enough argument can be just that he has officiated too many big games, overused and now a rest should considered more than normal (if his season is over, as I predict).
DeleteAgree @chefren and with last year SF in the same condition as this year with PSG they didn’t want to give him the only SF he can have. Got a lot of big games recently and might need a reset before the WC but I will not be surprised if he gets a UEL SF
DeleteJust changing subject, next week Barcelona have the chance to win La Liga against Real Madrid. I predict Jose Sanchez but I would like to know other predictions from others!
ReplyDeleteMy prediction: Hernández Hernández or Sánchez Martínez
DeleteThe referee from Canary Islands, to justify his WC call...
DeleteHdz Hdz should be trusted for that prior to the World cup in his sights or they choose to compensate one of two other elites
DeleteIt will be very underwhelming to choose none of these 3 giants, .
https://fpf.pt/News/Todas-as-not%C3%ADcias/Not%C3%ADcia/news/56305
ReplyDeleteIt seems as Pinheiro with his assistant referees were replaced in this Portuguese game for health issues, the crew should undergo some "medical checks", according to this article. Very strange (all three having to do that). So, not for an international assignment.
No , it is not injury . they said , leave for physical theraphy
DeleteAccording to Google Translate, they were replaced by a matter of physical management, which can be understood as preparation for some game....
DeleteThat's right. He will be appointed this week.
DeletePerhaps Pinheiro for tomorrow?
DeleteReplacement for Marciniak on tomorrow then? What day was he taken off his domestic fixture? As in what day was that article released?
DeleteI don't know, Siebert was once burned in a Atletico Madrid - Manchester City, also a 2nd leg. The game this Tuesday is pretty similar. Maybe this time it will go better. Good luck.
ReplyDeleteIndeed if we look at previous management by committee and what they assessed about the German, it's very inconsistent. What is the truth? Is now the German a different referee?
DeleteFor sure there are different moments in a career, but so different in terms of reputation?
How to answer to such big call? We will see on Tuesday.
It is ironic that a referee not appointed for the World Cup has been assigned to A Champions League semi-final game. why was Siebert not selected for the World Cup ?
ReplyDeleteStieler is a good choice as the fourth official. Trouble is to be expected with these two coaches—especially if one is consistent. And Stieler is pretty much at the end of his international career, unlike Jablonski.
ReplyDeleteFavorites for the Final
ReplyDeleteOliver - Taylor wlthout Arsenal
Makkelie - Zwayer with Arsenal
Isn't it obvious already that Zwayer is not a final candidate anymore? Secondly it doesn't make sense to put Taylor as a candidate when Oliver is there. Taylor is 1 Million percent not happening
DeleteWho will be the referee of the final in the case of a Paris-Arsenal final? Mariani?
ReplyDeleteSiebert if he nails Tuesday, Zwayer if he doesn't?
DeleteNyberg feels like the only alternative, right?
EDIT to add I expect Mariani Wednesday, which is one reason I'm ruling him out.
DeleteI dont see anyone else apart from Nyberg tomorrow
ReplyDeleteNdala for the cl caf final 1st rouand
ReplyDeleteVar ismail