Here is all you need to know about Istvan Kovacs, the Romanian referee who officiated Champions League clash between FC Barcelona and PSG
FC Barcelona are out of the Champions League. Paris Saint-Germain showed a stunning comeback and eliminate the La Liga giants with a score of 4-1 (6-4 ag) out of the UCL competition.
Barcelona led the match 1-0 after the first leg thanks to a goal from Raphinha however, everything changed after Ronald Araujo’s red card and Ousmane Dembele, Vitinha and Kylian Mbappe’s brace helped the Ligue 1 side go ahead.
Who is football referee Istvan Kovacs who officiated Barcelona vs PSG Champions League 2024 match and his career stats
Meanwhile, Xavi Hernandez did not hold back his frustration and outrage following the result. The Spanish boss stated after the game and slammed the referee for his “disaster performance.” He further stated the Movistar Plus:
We are very upset and angry because the red card was the decisive factor in the match. With 11, we were in a good position, playing well and in command.
He continued:
It’s too much to flash a red card in a game like this. There was another game after that… It is a pity that the work of the season was ruined by an unnecessary expulsion.”
Even the fans did not appreciate the referee and trolled him for his performance.
Barcelona vs Psg man of the match is Istvan Kovacs. pic.twitter.com/Hx7RWuxc6g
— MR RIGHT™🇰🇪 (@MrRightke) April 16, 2024
While the referee is creating alot of outrage, which is something not new in football, specially in the big games, let us have a look at who Istvan Kovacs is.
Who is Istvan Kovacs?
Istvan Kovacs is a Romanian referee who was born on 16 September 1984 in Carei, Romania. The 39-year-old mainly officiates in Ligue 1. His career stats can be found here.
A look at Istvan Kovacs’ career
In 2018, Istvan Kovacs started off as a FIFA full international, and in 2019, he became a UEFA elite referee. Along with his fellow countryman Ovidiu Hategan, the referee was appointed to officiate the Euro 2020. He oversaw the group stage match between North Macedonia and the Netherlands.
On April 26, 2022, Kovacs officiated the first leg of Manchester City vs. Real Madrid in the UEFA Champions League semi-final where the 14 time UCL champions were defeated 4-3. He later went on to officiate the 2022 UEFA Europa Conference League final. The same year, he was appointed for the 2022 FIFA World Cup. Although he did not oversee any game, he was selected for eight games as a fourth official.
Last year, he officiated 25th Arabian Gulf Cup final between Iraq and Oman and was selected for the UEFA Champions League final as the fourth official.
Istvan Kovacs’ parents
Istvan Kovacs was born to a Hungarian father and a Swabian mother. He also has a brother named Szabolcs who is younger than him. He is also a Ligue 1 referee.