Lamps lament as Blues plan for La Liga leaders

FRANK LAMPARD believes Chelsea were handed “the toughest draw” – but has urged his players to believe they can lift the Champions League trophy.

The Blues face a daunting last- 16 clash against Atletico Madrid, with Diego Simeone’s men currently joint top of La Liga.

It also throws up a probable reunion with former Chelsea striker Diego Costa, who joined Atletico for £ 57million in 2017 after an acrimonious end to his Stamford Bridge career.

The Brazil- born Spain forward, who won the Premier League with the Londoners in 2015 and 2017, left the club after a public fallout with thenmanager Antonio Conte.

England’s other sides – Manchester City and Liverpool – drew German opposition in Borussia Monchengladbach and RB Leipzig respectively.

Despite Chelsea’s difficult draw, boss Lampard, right, is convinced the path to glory is wide open.

He said: “Most people will say it’s the toughest draw we could have had when you go on current form in La Liga, European experience, quality of team.

“But all draws are difficult in the Champions League. We have to have belief in ourselves when that game comes round. We’re going to have to beat these sort of teams if we’re going to win the Champions League.

“I watched them knock Liverpool out last year, who are a great team and have that experience and quality.

“You cannot win a competition of that level if you don’t believe in yourselves.

“The way we are moving at the minute, we have good belief and let’s hope we have that belief and more come February.

“We find ourselves in some form of transition with the newer players coming in.

“But if we can keep improving, we should back ourselves even against a team of the quality of

Atletico – we must set our sights as high as we possibly can.”

City boss Guardiola says will take nothing granted when team take Monchengladbach.

City will be rated red- hot favourites to defeat the German side, who have progressed to the knockout stages for the first time since 1978.

But Guardiola said: “I learned when I was in Germany how big, important and historic they are.

“It’s a club that I respect a lot. The beauty of playing football is that they went through a tough group, and made an incredible couple of games against Shakhtar Donetsk after they had beaten Real Madrid.”

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