The Romanian who arbitrates the Champions League final enters the history of football

The Romanian who arbitrates the Champions League final enters the history of football. On Saturday, May 31, at the center in the Champions League final in Munich will be a Romanian referee, Istvan Kovacs, from Carei. An recognition of a completely exceptional career and a new presence of a whistle knight in our country in the final of the most prestigious Wuropene competition after Nicolae Rainea and Ion Crăciunescu.

UEFA has decided that Istvan Kovacs has enough arguments to entrust the PSG – Inter Milan, as proof that at the level of the supreme European forum it enjoys great confidence and respect at the same time. And the press in the countries of the two finalists stressed that the Romanian has an extraordinary authority on the field, knowing how to calm the spirits and hold the match in hand.
The technicians of the two finalists, the Spanish Luis Enrique and the Italian Simone Inzaghi, respectively, said that the appointment of Istvan Kovacs was an inspired choice, being fully quiet that they will have a match in which it will be arbitrated only in the spirit of those on the ground.

For the Romanian arbitration it is a historical moment, the same being valid for personal Kovacs, because it reaches a unique pwear, respectively becomes the first arbitrator that leads all the finals of the European Cups. It began in 2022 with the final Conference League Roma-Feyenoord 1-0, followed last season the final Europa League Atalanta-Bayer Leverkuse 3-0 and now PSG-Inter, the Italian press being optimistic to be the third Peninsular Success.

The UEFA site dedicated an article specially to the one who also became in 2025 for the first time father.
« On Saturday, the referee Istvan Kovacs will complete the set of finals of European interclub competitions, when he will lead the match from Munich. For Istvan Kovacs it was a year to enjoy.

12 months ago, the Romanian ended an impressive season at the club level, whistling the triumph of Atalanta in the UEFA Europa League final, even before officiating two matches at Euro 2024.

At the same time, he became a father for the first time and, despite the impact of a loaded family life, enjoyed another excellent campaign in the 2024-2025 season, which led to his appointment to the final of the Champions on Saturday, from Munich.
Kovacs will thus become the first man to arbitrate the final of each of the major UEFA club competitions, after leading the inaugural final of Conference League in 2022. It will be a pride for the 40 -year -old referee. «