Every year, French referees receive their honors during the UNFP Trophies Award. This year, Benoit Bastien was voted best Ligue 1 referee, while Cyril Gringore (best Ligue 1 assistant), Olivier Thual (best Ligue 2 referee) and Stephane Vignatelli (best Ligue 2 assistant) were also rewarded. This is the first trophy of his career for the 39-year-old referee.
Benoît Bastien did not forget his colleagues during his acceptance speech. “I want to dedicate this individual trophy to all the referees. It is the work of a whole team, that of the refereeing team. It rewards the results of a successful season for French refereeing in Ligue 2 and Ligue 1, but also internationally with increasingly important performances and appointments”, said Bastien, who notably recalled that French referees were present in the quarter-finals of all European competitions, a Europa League semi-final and reached its highest point with the Champions League final. Clement Turpin has been appointed by UEFA to referee the final between Liverpool and Real Madrid at the Stade de France – a first in 36 years for a Frenchman – where he was accompanied by his Nicolas Danos and Cyril Gringore, as assistants, and… Benoît Bastien as fourth official.
Source: UNFP
