Ahead of Arsenal’s second-ever appearance in a Champions League final, the appointment of Daniel Siebert could be seen as a fortunate sign for the Premier League champions.

The Gunners are set to take on reigning holders Paris Saint-Germain this weekend in Budapest, Hungary, as they look to capture their first-ever Champions League title and complete a remarkable double of Premier League and European glory.

This will be Arsenal’s only second appearance in the Champions League final, with their last outing coming two decades ago when they suffered a heartbreaking defeat against Barcelona. That match, played ironically in Paris, was filled with drama as goalkeeper Jens Lehmann was sent off in the first half, leaving Arsene Wenger’s side to battle against the star-studded lineup featuring Ronaldinho, Samuel Eto’o and Ludovic Giuly.

Despite taking a first-half lead through Sol Campbell’s header, Arsenal could not hold off the Catalans. Late goals from Eto’o and Juliano Belletti sealed a 2-1 comeback win for Barcelona, denying the Gunners their shot at European glory.

As Arsenal prepare for another shot at the trophy, they will have a familiar figure officiating the game. German referee Daniel Siebert has been appointed to take charge of the final. His assistants will be Jan Seidel and Rafael Foltyn, while Swiss official Sandro Scharer will act as the fourth official on the sidelines.

Video Assistant Referee (VAR) duties will be handled by German officials Bastian Dankert and Robert Schroder.

At 42 years old, Siebert is well-versed with major tournaments, having officiated two matches at Euro 2024 and three at Euro 2020. However, this will mark his first appearance as the referee in a UEFA competition final.

Siebert has already taken charge of two Arsenal matches in this season’s Champions League campaign, both of which ended in victories for Mikel Arteta’s men. The Gunners triumphed in the quarter-final first leg in Lisbon and the semi-final second leg against Atletico Madrid under his watch.

That record may give Arsenal fans a reason for optimism, as the German referee has overseen three Arsenal matches in total, all ending in wins. However, PSG have also enjoyed success under Siebert’s officiating, winning three out of four matches with him as referee.

The only exception came earlier this season when PSG were held to a goalless draw by Athletic Club during the league phase — the only match Siebert has refereed involving the Parisians in this Champions League campaign.