When Arsenal and Paris Saint-Germain clash in the Champions League final in Budapest, all eyes will be on more than just the stars on the pitch—German referee Daniel Siebert will take center stage at the Puskas Arena on Saturday, 30 May.

A familiar face to Gunners fans, the 42-year-old official brings 11 years of experience to this high-stakes showdown. Having kicked off his career in 2015, Siebert has officiated nine Champions League matches this season alone, making him one of the most seasoned referees in the competition.

For Arsenal supporters, there's reason for optimism. Siebert oversaw the Gunners' 1-0 quarter-final first-leg win over Sporting Lisbon and their 1-0 semi-final second-leg victory against Atletico Madrid—both clean-sheet triumphs that ended with no yellow cards shown to Arsenal players. Across those two matches, he issued just three yellow cards total.

PSG, meanwhile, have only one Siebert-officiated match this season: a goalless December draw at Athletic Bilbao, where he brandished four yellow cards. Overall, the German official averages 4.44 yellow cards per game in the Champions League this term (with 0.22 red cards per game), according to Who Scored—a jump from his Bundesliga average of 3.20 yellows and 0.13 reds across 15 matches.

Siebert's big-game credentials extend beyond this final. He officiated last year's Europa League semi-final between Manchester United and Athletic Bilbao, as well as matches at both Euro 2020 and Euro 2024. His experience under pressure will be crucial in a final that promises intensity from the opening whistle.

Interestingly, Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has recently praised match officials, following a controversial VAR decision that overturned West Ham's equalizer. "When I had to be critical, I have been," Arteta told Sky Sports. "Today I have to congratulate them." With Siebert at the helm, both teams will hope for a fair and decisive performance in what could be a historic night for European football.