Arsenal vs Atletico Madrid referee announced as UEFA hand Gunners welcome boost

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UEFA have appointed Daniel Siebert to take charge of Arsenal's Champions League semi-final second leg against Atletico Madrid. The Gunners and Atletico are locked at 1-1 on aggregate ahead of their decisive encounter at the Emirates Stadium.

In the first leg, Mikel Arteta and his squad were left incensed when Eberechi Eze's penalty at the Wanda Metropolitano was overturned following a VAR review by official Danny Makkelie. Following the match, Declan Rice claimed the referee was "provoked" into reversing his decision due to pressure from the Atletico supporters, remarks which could land him in hot water with European football's governing body.

While Arsenal were fuming with Makkelie's performance, they might be more encouraged by Siebert's selection. The Gunners boast an unbeaten record in European matches when the German has been involved in any official role.

Siebert will be assisted by linesmen Rafael Foltyn and Bastian Dankert, while Robert Schröder and Tobias Stieler will operate on VAR duties. Siebert was the man in the middle when Arsenal edged past Sporting Lisbon 1-0 in the Champions League quarter-final first leg.

He has presided over two additional European victories for Arsenal. Last season, he was in charge when the Gunners defeated Dinamo Zagreb during the league phase of the competition.

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The first time he oversaw an Arsenal fixture was several years before that encounter, when the Gunners defeated Olympiacos 3-1 in the Europa League , back in 2021. For Atletico, it's far from a welcome return.

Diego Simeone's outfit have failed to win a single game Siebert has refereed. He was the man in the middle when Tottenham beat them 3-2 in north London in the round of 16, though Atletico went through to the quarter-finals by winning 7-5 on aggregate.

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He was also officiating during Atletico's heated 0-0 stalemate with Manchester City in 2022, one year after taking charge of their 3-2 loss to Liverpool in 2021. While this may be pure coincidence, everyone connected with Arsenal will view this as a good sign.

Facing Arsenal is four of the most crucial weeks in the club's history. An historic Premier League and Champions League double is within reach, though there is virtually no room for slip-ups.

Their 3-0 home win against Fulham saw the north Londoners boost their goal difference, meaning they are now six points and four goals clear of City, who have two matches in hand. Just five games separate the Gunners from glory, but they will almost certainly need to win every one of them if they are to claim both the Premier League and the Champions League.

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Following the victory over the Cottagers, Arteta said: "We know what's at stake. We need to push it. Everybody has to lead himself and take ownership of the moment because the impact that you can have in the moment now is going to define the history of the club. That's a very powerful thing to have.

"When you have the opportunity to make history in such a way you have to embrace it. That's it. That's what we've been working for, that's the goal we set at the start of the season. When you pursue a dream and you have it in front of you you have to do your best to achieve it. There's nothing else but bringing out your best. That's it."

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