‘A historical moment’: Chelsea boss Lampard on female officals at UEFA Super Cup

Chelsea boss Frank Lampard described the all-female officiating personnel at the UEFA Super Cup on Wednesday “a historical moment” as his side get ready to take on Liverpool in Istanbul.

French referee Stéphanie Frappart will become the first female referee to officiate the match and also lead the team of nearly all-female officials at Besiktas’ BJK Vodafone Park as last season’s Europa League winners Chelsea take on Champions League winners Liverpool.

Speaking at his pre-match presser, new Chelsea boss Lampard, who won both of those competitions with The Blues as a player this decade, said he was pleased to be part of a “moment in history”.

“It’s great news. I’m very pleased to be a part of this moment in history which is very much due and I think the game has come a long way in many ways in terms of the Women’s World Cup which we all watched this summer," Lampard told reporters.

“In terms of how much respect the game’s getting, how many people are watching it, the interest in the game. 

“I think we were slow everywhere on this and now we’re trying to make strides and there’s still a long way to go but in terms of tomorrow I think it's a huge moment it should be very well addressed and we’re all very pleased.

"It’s a historical moment that is one more step in the right direction," he added.

Frappart will become the first woman to referee a major men's European football match when she takes charge in Turkey on Wednesday. The 35-year-old has experience domestically at the highest level in Ligue 1 and refereed at the Women's World Cup in France this year.

Also heading to the match as guests of UEFA are Italian female referees Annalisa Moccia and Giulia Nicastro, who were officiating domestic matches as assistant referee and referee respectively when they were victims of sexist behaviour.