German referee Daniel Siebert appointed for Juventus–Sporting Champions League clash

Experienced German team takes charge in Turin

The Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) has selected Daniel Siebert to oversee Tuesday’s much-anticipated Champions League meeting between Juventus and Sporting CP at the Allianz Stadium. The 41-year-old Berliner will be accompanied by familiar colleagues Jan Seidel and Rafael Foltyn on the touchlines, with Timo Gerach acting as fourth official. Inside the VAR booth Christian Dingert will lead the review team, assisted by Scotland’s Andrew Dallas.

A familiar face for the Lions

Sporting supporters may recognise Siebert’s name. The German official handled the 1-1 Europa League draw with Atalanta in March 2024 and, eight months later, was in charge of the memorable 4-1 home victory over Manchester City during the new-format Champions League league phase. Tuesday will therefore be his third assignment involving the Lisbon club and his second in the competition’s main stage.

Portuguese sides in general have crossed paths with the Berlin-born referee on several occasions. His first outing with a Portuguese national squad dates back to an Under-19 European qualifier in 2015, while Benfica also encountered him in a group-stage duel at Stamford Bridge earlier in the current campaign.

Disciplinary profile: what the numbers say

In the current 2024-25 season Siebert has averaged 4.48 yellow cards, 0.11 reds and 0.33 penalties per match across domestic and international competitions. Those figures mirror the benchmark set by other UEFA Elite officials such as England’s Michael Oliver, although Siebert’s marginally higher rate of dismissals and spot-kicks suggests a referee unafraid to take decisive action when necessary. Players and coaching staff should therefore be prepared for a firm, by-the-book approach, particularly inside the penalty area.

No recent controversies

Unlike some of his peers, Siebert has avoided the headlines in the past two seasons. Neither the Bundesliga nor recent Champions League ties have produced notable disputes over his decisions, an element that likely factored into UEFA’s decision to trust him with a fixture involving a Serie A giant and one of the form teams from Portugal.

The stakes in Group Stage ‘Matchday 4’

Juventus enter the encounter desperate for a first victory in this season’s league-format group phase after a stuttering start marked by draws and a narrow defeat. Sporting, by contrast, sit in a healthy position thanks to two wins from three outings. A positive result in Turin would push Rúben Amorim’s men to the brink of early qualification for the knockout bracket, while failure could reignite a multi-club battle for the top eight slots.

Tactical implications of Siebert’s style

Coaches Massimiliano Allegri and Rúben Amorim are both known for encouraging aggressive pressing. With Siebert’s card average hovering just below five per fixture, midfield duels could quickly accumulate cautions. Expect the German to clamp down on persistent holding during set pieces—an area where Juventus tend to test the letter of the law—and to penalise time-wasting early, a tactic Sporting have occasionally employed to protect leads on the road.

Match officials in full

• Referee: Daniel Siebert (Germany)• Assistants: Jan Seidel, Rafael Foltyn (Germany)• Fourth official: Timo Gerach (Germany)• VAR: Christian Dingert (Germany)• Assistant VAR: Andrew Dallas (Scotland)

Where to watch

The game will be screened live on Portuguese subscription channel Eleven Sports, with radio coverage on Antena 1. Kick-off is scheduled for 20:00 local time in Italy (19:00 in mainland Portugal). As always, fans travelling to Piedmont are advised to arrive early due to enhanced security checks around the stadium.

Bottom line

UEFA’s decision to assign one of its most reliable Elite referees underlines the importance of Tuesday’s showdown. Both clubs have everything to play for, and with Daniel Siebert’s no-nonsense style in the spotlight, discipline—or the lack thereof—could prove decisive.