UEFA appointed Daniel Siebert on Monday to referee the Champions League final between PSG and Arsenal on May 30 in Budapest. A choice that surprises because the German referee comes off a major controversy in the semifinal during the Arsenal-Atletico Madrid match.
Siebert is not really a referee who brings bad luck to PSG, as the German official has a record of 3 wins and 1 draw in matches he has officiated involving the capital club in the Champions League.
However, he does come off a massive controversy during Arsenal's recent 1-0 victory against Atletico Madrid, a score that was enough for the Gunners to qualify for the UCL final against PSG.
During that match, Siebert denied a penalty to the Colchoneros, which caused a scandal in Spain. "There is an obvious penalty on Griezmann. Sometimes the referees' decisions are in our favor; sometimes they are not. There, we were unlucky," Diego Simeone had explained, while Madrid's supporters were furious.
The announcement on Monday of Siebert's appointment to referee PSG-Arsenal has already delighted the English press, which sees it as a sign of destiny for the Gunners.
But for its part, the Associated Press points out that the German referee was not selected by FIFA for the next World Cup, which is still rather surprising. Especially since Siebert not only refereed Arsenal in the semifinal, but also in the quarterfinal against Sporting.
For the English media, the German is already considered a true good luck charm for the Gunners, even if PSG cannot complain about his statistics. Last year, it was Romanian referee Istvan Kovacs who officiated the Champions League final between PSG and Inter. He had a perfect match, as no controversy marred the Parisian triumph over the Milan club.
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