LAMPARD SUMMONS THE SPIRIT OF 2012
BOSS EYES REPEAT OF BAYERN UPSET
Given Frank Lampard’s role in the 2012 Miracle in Munich, you could understand the glint in his eye when one member of the German media hinted that his side are ‘underdogs’.
They were just that eight years ago at the Allianz Arena when Lampard pummelled a penalty beyond Manuel neuer in a winnertakes-all shootout for the Champions League trophy.
Anyone who was there that day to see Bayern Munich get beaten in their own backyard still remembers the enormous banner unfurled before kick off which read: ‘Our City, Our Stadium, Our Trophy.’
Word is Chelsea fans will produce a banner of their own tonight, poking fun at that failed prediction, and Lampard says his young players have to embrace their ‘underdog’ tag, too.
‘When you look at their team, the talent they have, the medals they have, the experience they have — maybe we don’t have that experience,’ said Lampard at Stamford Bridge yesterday.
‘But it’s there to turn it around, to overcome being the underdog. Those are the best stories in sport. i understand if people call us the underdogs because Bayern are so strong.
‘A big part of my job is to explain to the players that over two legs, we need to be at our maximum. We must make sure every box is ticked in both games.
‘After the game, we will probably suffer. Bayern are an incredible side with the ball. They’ve got some really talented players who keep the ball and use it well. if we have to suffer, we have to suffer.’
Lampard’s hunch that there will be a lot of chasing the ball perhaps explains why he had his players take part in a piggy-in-themiddle exercise at Cobham yesterday.
The former midfielder, 41, joined in for a while and when Cesar Azpilicueta was the man trying to win possession, he lunged in two-footed — on his manager.
‘Thank God it was Azpi — i’d be worried if it was someone who wasn’t playing a lot, going in with two feet,’ joked Lampard. ‘Azpi’s professionalism is to train like that and, wow, did he play like that against Tottenham as well. The performance on Saturday was absolutely first class.
‘Off the ball work is what you need against a team like Bayern Munich. The team are in a good place from the weekend. We’re feeling strong and focused. But we have to deliver.’
Lampard remained coy about Olivier Giroud’s chances of starting ahead of Tammy Abraham. ‘He’s given me a lot to think about,’ said the Chelsea boss of the Frenchman’s showing against Spurs — his first start since november.
But there is no question who will start up front for Bayern. Robert Lewandowski, who has scored 42 goals for club and country this season, is in the form of his life according to his manager Hans-Dieter Flick.
Lewandowski, 31, scored 10 times in the group stages as Bayern won every game, including a 7-2 hammering at Tottenham.
Asked how he plans to stop him, Lampard said: ‘i wouldn’t say concern is the word. “Form of his life” means something special with Lewandowski because of how consistent he’s been in europe for the last how many years. everything about him is just top class.
‘Having the opportunity to watch a lot of Bayern in the build up to this game, that shines through. The levels have to go up. When you get to the knockout stages in the Champions League, against a team as good as Bayern Munich, the levels have to go up everywhere.’
Confidence is high among the Chelsea players, at least, with Mateo Kovacic insisting the teams are not so different in terms of talent. ‘We can be a big team,’ he said. ‘We’ll show that.’
UeFA have deemed the match ‘high risk from a safety and security perspective’ following talks with both clubs and the Metropolitan Police.
They state this is as a result of trouble ‘involving travelling German fans from eintracht Frankfurt’ during the europa League semi-final with Chelsea in London last year.
Additional security measures will be in place around Stamford Bridge, with Bayern fans asked not to wear away colours in neutral areas.