UEFA has made a surprising and decisive move by removing Polish referee Szymon Marciniak from officiating the 2025 Champions League final, which is set to feature Paris Saint-Germain and Inter Milan in Munich on May 31.
Marciniak, once considered the frontrunner for the prestigious assignment, has been sidelined due to his controversial handling of the semi-final second leg between Barcelona and Inter. The match drew widespread criticism over several contentious calls—including a hotly debated penalty awarded to Lautaro Martínez and a failure to address what many believed was a clear foul in the lead-up to Inter’s third goal.
Barcelona’s leadership, particularly club president Joan Laporta, voiced strong objections and reportedly lobbied UEFA to take disciplinary action. Responding to the backlash, UEFA has not only removed Marciniak from the Champions League final but also from all other European finals this season, according to Spanish outlet El Nacional.
In his place, Romanian referee Istvan Kovacs has been appointed to lead the officiating team in Munich. He’ll be joined by Romanian assistants Mihai Marica and Ferenc Tunyogi, with Dutch official Dennis Johan Higler serving as the VAR.
Kovacs brings ample experience to the role, having previously officiated the 2024 Europa League final between Atalanta and Bayer Leverkusen, as well as the 2022 Conference League final between Roma and Feyenoord.
Other appointments include Irfan Peljto for the Conference League final between Real Betis and Chelsea, and Felix Zwayer for the Europa League final between Manchester United and Tottenham.
UEFA’s decision highlights its commitment to upholding the integrity and quality of officiating in Europe’s most crucial matches, amid growing demands from clubs for greater consistency and accountability from match officials.
