Romanian Referee István Kovács to Officiate Hapoel Be'er Sheva's Champions League Return Match
Translated & summarized from N12 by baba
UEFA appointed Romanian referee István Kovács to officiate Hapoel Be'er Sheva's Champions League second-leg match against Sabah in Azerbaijan. Kovács, a highly experienced official who has refereed major European finals and World Cup matches, is known for his strict disciplinary approach. Hapoel Be'er Sheva, holding a 2-1 lead from the first leg, must play carefully to advance.
The story in 6 lines · by baba
- István Kovács will referee Hapoel Be'er Sheva's Champions League second leg against Sabah.
- Kovács is the first referee to officiate finals of all three major UEFA club competitions.
- He has been an international referee since 2010 and officiated the 2026 World Cup matches.
- Kovács averages over 5 yellow cards per game and frequently issues red cards and penalties.
- Hapoel Be'er Sheva must avoid fouls to prevent disciplinary setbacks in the match.
- UEFA's appointment highlights Kovács's status as a top European and global referee.
The Romanian referee István Kovács has been appointed by UEFA to officiate the Champions League second-leg match between Azerbaijani club Sabah and Israeli champions Hapoel Be'er Sheva. The match will take place following Hapoel Be'er Sheva's 2-1 home victory in the first leg, with the Israeli team aiming to secure advancement to the next round.
Born in 1984, Kovács is one of Europe's top referees and has been an international official since 2010. He has officiated major European finals, including the 2022 UEFA Europa Conference League final and the 2024 UEFA Europa League final. In 2025, Kovács made history by becoming the first referee to oversee the finals of all three major UEFA club competitions, including the Champions League final between Paris Saint-Germain and Inter Milan.
Kovács also participated in the 2026 FIFA World Cup, refereeing two group stage matches: Japan vs. Tunisia (0-4) and Argentina vs. Jordan (3-1). Known for his strict officiating style, Kovács averages 5.3 yellow cards per game, issues a red card approximately every three matches, and awards penalties roughly every two games. This disciplinary record suggests that Hapoel Be'er Sheva players will need to maintain composure and avoid unnecessary fouls to prevent jeopardizing their historic qualification effort.
UEFA's selection of Kovács underscores his status as a leading referee in European and world football, bringing significant experience and authority to this crucial Champions League fixture.
Mentioned
The same event, reported separately by each outlet. Open a few to compare what different newsrooms emphasize — and what they leave out.
Coverage from N12
