Overview
- Knut Kircher delivered the assessment in statements to kicker on Friday and described the overall season as satisfactory with many strong performances in the run-in.
- Kircher acknowledged a weak patch around matchdays 20–21 and said the incorrect decisions there, mostly about challenges in the penalty area, were reviewed with officials both one-on-one and in group sessions.
- He reported a slight increase in VAR interventions versus last year but clarified the rise mostly involved factual checks such as offside calls and the exact spot of fouls rather than more subjective overturns.
- Daniel Siebert received special praise for refereeing the Champions League final between Paris Saint-Germain and Arsenal, which Kircher said drew international recognition for German officials.
- Four veteran referees have retired and Max Burda plus Richard Hempel will step up to the Bundesliga, a change Kircher says keeps the corps well prepared and underlines continued training and quality control ahead of the new season.