Lambert: This is as big for me as the Champions League final for Dortmund

PAUL LAMBERT admits Stoke’s crunch game against Crystal Palace today is their Champions League final.

Second-from-bottom Stoke must beat Palace in the lunchtime match at the bet365 Stadium if they are to have any chance of beating the drop.

Lambert, a Champions League winner in 1997 with Borussia Dortmund and the last Scot to appear in the European showpiece, admits there is no way of understating the size of the match for City. Asked if it was as big as the Champions League final, Lambert answered: “Yes, it’s massive, huge. There’s no getting away from it – it’s a must-win game.

“We need everybody to step up and realise it’s win at all costs.”

Lambert will draw on the dressing-room charisma of managerial heavyweights Ottmar Hitzfeld and Martin O’Neill to inspire Stoke’s players today. Hitzfeld guided Dortmund to a shock victory against Juventus in the highlight of Lambert’s career in ‘97, while the Scot played under O’Neill when he led Celtic to the UEFA Cup final in 2003. “For the truly big games, Martin O’Neill and Ottmar Hitzfeld were brilliant,” said Lambert. “Whether you’re winning trophies or titles or whatever, you know when a manager is bang on it.” Lambert, whose team have gone 12 games without a win, admits even Stoke’s very best performance may not be sufficient to keep their hopes alive. “Sometimes that’s not good enough. But you can play absolutely terribly and win – I’ll take that,” he added.