‘We must tick all the boxes’
are an incredible side with the ball. They’ve got some really talented players who keep the ball and use the ball well.
“If we have to suffer, we have to suffer.That’s our job over the next two games.” Lampard, whose team were boosted by Saturday’s 2-1 win over Tottenham, called for his men to raise their game to new heights tonight. He said: “We must make sure every box is ticked in both games.We can’t get caught up in game moments.
“I trust all the young players who have been part of the squad this year. That’s a huge part of what we do here.The reason I trust them is because of the way they play, the way they train.”
Lampard will be without midfielder N’Golo Kante and wingers Christian Pulisic and Callum Hudson-Odoi but striker Tammy Abraham, above, is fit.
BAYERN MUNICH coach Hans Dieter Flick has hailed Robert Lewandowski as the man who can end Chelsea’s Champions League dreams.
The Poland striker goes into tonight’s last-16 first leg at Stamford Bridge having hit 38 goals in 32 games.
Frank Lampard’s team have lost seven home games this season and face a big test against the five-time European Cup winners.
Flick said: “Lewandowski is in the form of his life. He is fully fit, full of confidence and we hope he will continue that at Chelsea.
“Robert is a leader up front. He can put opponents under pressure. He is brilliant, a real team player. He is up there with the best.”
The Bayern coach, 55 yesterday, is a fan of Lampard and his young team.
He said: “It is a real compliment to him. He has pulled together a wonderful team with young players and experience.”
FRANK LAMPARD has told his Chelsea players that they have to raise their levels to the limit if they are to keep their Champions League dreams alive.
Chelsea held a team meeting before they beat Tottenham on Saturday to thrash out the problems they had been having at home. Lampard said it was a question of sorting out their mental approach to games at Stamford Bridge.
His team went out and beat Spurs 2-1 after the clear- the-air dressing-room talks but last night Lampard insisted his team have to be even better.
Bayern arrive tonight unbeaten in 11 games, with key striker Robert Lewandowksi having hit 38 goals this season. And in their last two trips to London they hit seven goals against Spurs and five against Arsenal.
Chelsea have lost seven games at home in all competitions this season but the win over Spurs will have boosted confidence. Lampard, though, is adamant that those efforts against Tottenham will not be good enough to see off the Bundesliga leaders. He said: “The reaction to the meeting and the reaction against Tottenham was spot on. What we can’t do now is forget what made us beat Tottenham and made us play so well at the weekend. We have to replicate that and more.That was a start for us on Saturday.We need to keep it going.
“I felt if you look at our recent form in the league, we were playing well. A lot of parts of our game are good but the important parts of the game, which is in the final third, scoring goals, finishing off what you’ve created and then making sure we don’t concede with absolute focus, were short.
“If you have 20 shots in a game and don’t score and the other team have two and score and that’s recurring, then that’s an issue. It felt like a mindset thing. If you’re not scoring, it can be a mixture of many things – confidence, something that’s slack, or how you prepare.
“It was about being honest. The beauty of the meeting was everyone felt the same. I’ve been in meetings where people can’t find the reason. But I’ve got a really good group.
“The performance on Saturday was absolutely first class off the ball and on the ball. The team are in a good place. We’re feeling strong and focused.” Chelsea skipper Cesar Azpilicueta was filmed going in with a two-footed tackle on his manager in training yesterday, such was the