The referee who will officiate Villarreal's first match in the Champions League has been confirmed: it will be the German DanielSiebert, a member of the UEFA Elite group. The event has been set for Tuesday, when the Submarino faces Napoli at the Estadio de la Cerámica. Siebert, 42, will whistle in the European competition for the second time this season and for the first time in the Champions League group stage.
Siebert began his career as a referee in the Bundesliga in 2012 and achieved international status in 2015. His name came to global notoriety during the controversial match between Ghana and Uruguay in the group stage of the World Cup in Qatar, where his decision on a collision at the end of the match generated controversy. Since then, he has been assigned to several high-profile competitions, including the Europa League, where he has already witnessed important fixtures.
Regarding his history with Villarreal, the referee has witnessed four European matches against the club, with a balance of two draws and one victory. The first meeting was in the 2021-2022 season, when he whistled the first leg of the Champions League round of 16 at Juve's home, which ended 1-1. Siebert's victory over Villarreal came the previous year, in Zagreb, when Dinamo won 1‑0 in the Europa League. The third match, in the 2018‑2019 season, was played in Moscow against Spartak and ended 3‑3. On the last occasion, Siebert was also the main referee in a match against Napoli, where the Italian club won 6-2 in last season's group stage.
The VAR will be supervised by the also German SörenStorks, which guarantees technical coordination between the two referees on the field. With both professionals on stage, the match promises to be a balanced encounter and with the possibility of Villarreal taking advantage of its home advantage to try to advance in the group stage of the Champions League. Fans will be able to see how the match develops and if the Spanish team manages to beat Napoli in their debut in the competition.