Author: Vishwajit Sawant
Frank Lampard’s second spell as Chelsea manager began with a defeat at Wolverhampton Wanderers with a fine shot from Matheus. With the first leg of the UEFA Champions League quarter-final against Real Madrid just around the corner on April 12, the Blues must focus on regaining their form if they are to stand a chance of progressing in the competition.
Lampard was back in charge of Chelsea just 48 hours before Chelsea’s game at the weekend, this time as interim manager after the club sacked fellow Englishman Graham Potter just after he had been in charge for close to seven months, as pressure mounted with the club spending £323 million in the January transfer window.
His first game as interim manager resulted in a defeat, as Chelsea fell short against Wolves in the Premier League, and Lampard was frustrated by the performance of Chelsea’s players. According to Football.london, Lampard’s message to the players was unequivocal – if you’re worried, don’t worry. Playing for Chelsea is a privilege that comes with great responsibility. Whether you’re an experienced player like Kovacic, who has won two Champions Leagues and also played in the semi-finals and finals of the World Cup, or a rookie like Mudryk, everyone has earned their place in the team.
Although it may take some time for the team to come together, Lampard believes in the team’s aggressiveness and ability to succeed. It’s important to stay focused and confident in our abilities.
Lampard acknowledged that the team came up against a very aggressive opponent in the last game, and had difficulties in some areas, such as second balls.
It’s important to confront these issues in order to move forward. Although Wednesday’s game is different, there will still be challenges to overcome. The team has a few days to recover, regroup and prepare for the next game.
Chelsea advanced to the quarter-finals of the UEFA Champions League after securing a 2-1 aggregate win over Borussia Dortmund.
On the other hand, Real Madrid booked their place in the quarter-finals of the UEFA Champions League by beating Liverpool 6-3 on aggregate. Real Madrid also faced defeat at the hands of Villarreal when they lost 3-2, ahead of their long-awaited clash against Chelsea in the quarter-finals of the UEFA Champions League on April 12.