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Who'll referee the UEFA Champions League final between PSG and Inter Milan?
UEFA has officially named Romanian referee Istvan Kovacs as the match official for the 2025 UEFA Champions League final between Paris Saint-Germain and Inter Milan. The high-stakes encounter is scheduled for Sunday, June 1 (according to Indian time), at Munich's Allianz Arena, with kick-off set for 12:30 AM IST. Kovacs will be supported by assistant referees Mihai Marica and Ferencz Tunyogi.
This prestigious appointment marks Kovacs' third major UEFA final. He previously officiated the 2022 UEFA Europa Conference League final between Roma and Feyenoord and the 2024 UEFA Europa League final that featured Atalanta and Bayer Leverkusen. With referees often finding themselves stuck in the middle of controversies, officiating the biggest game in European football is atask in itself. However, the introduction of VAR (Video assistant referees) have certainly taken some load off the shoulders of the on field referees nowadays with decision related to goals, penalties and direct red cards.
A Veteran on the European Stage
At 40 years old, Kovacs brings a wealth of experience at the top level of European football. A FIFA-listed referee since 2010, he has become a familiar presence in UEFA competitions. This season alone, he has been in charge of seven Champions League fixtures, notably overseeing the dramatic round-of-16 clash between PSG and Liverpool, where the French side progressed via penalties.
A Historic Occasion
The 2025 final in Munich will be the 70th edition of the UEFA Champions League final and the first to be held at the Allianz Arena since 2012. That final saw Chelsea defeat Bayern Munich in a penalty shootout, creating one of the tournament's most memorable moments. For Kovacs, this assignment solidifies his place among an elite group of referees who have officiated finals across all three major UEFA club competitions.
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