Kovacs referee for Atalanta-Bayer Leverkusen Europa League Final

Istvan Kovacs of Romania will be the referee for the Europa League Final between Atalanta and Bayer Leverkusen on May 22.

The match will kick off at 20.00 UK time (19.00 GMT) at the Dublin Arena on Wednesday May 22 to decide who lifts the trophy.

UEFA announced that they have chosen Romanian referee Kovacs to officiate the big game.

It will be his second UEFA club competition Final, having already overseen Roma’s victory over Feyenoord in the 2022 Conference League Final in Tirana.

Kovacs record in Europe

Kovacs is assisted by Vasile Florin Marinescu and Mihaj Ovidiu Artene, with Slovakia’s Ivan Kruzliak as the fourth official

The VAR is Dutch official Pol van Boekel, assisted by Catalin Popa of Romania and Rob Dieperink of the Netherlands.

The Romanian has never been in charge of an Atalanta match, but his record with Italy at club level is of six wins, four draws and three defeats.

He oversaw two Bayer Leverkusen fixtures, a 3-1 Europa League win away to FC Porto in February 2020 and 3-0 home defeat also to FC Porto in the October 2022 Champions League.

Atalanta will face Juventus in the Coppa Italia Final on Wednesday.