On Wednesday evening, Paris Saint-Germain will try to qualify for the Champions League final at Bayern Munich. We also know the referee who was chosen by UEFA to direct this meeting. And it’s a little surprise since it’s the Portuguese João Pinheiro. The latter has never refereed a C1 semi-final and the most important match he has had to direct is only a round of 16 of the Champions League between Aston Villa and Club Bruges last season.
A novice at the whistle for a poster in the last four of the most prestigious European competition, Pinheiro has however already crossed paths with PSG. He was the fourth referee in the final won against Inter (5-0), and it was he who led the Rouge-et-Bleu in the European Super Cup won against Tottenham. Note that the Lusitanian also managed two Bayern Munich matches in C1. Two matches (against Bratislava in 2025 and PSV in 2026) which ended in two Bavarian victories.
