Lampard faces big test with Real Madrid clash
Chelsea will face Real Madrid at Stamford Bridge on Tuesday in the second leg of the Champions League quarterfinals after losing 2-0 in the first.
Chelsea will have to overcome a 2-0 deficit when they host Real Madrid at Stamford Bridge today in the Champions League quarterfinal second leg. It will be a huge test for interim head coach Frank Lampard, who has lost all three of his games with the club so far since taking over. They sit at 11th in the Premier League standings.
“We’re not where we want to be. I think the word ‘broken’ is a bit much,” said Lampard. “League position is a reality in the Premier League, we’re down 2-0 in this game, so I think those things are just reality. We have to work against that and show in every way we can because we’re in that moment.”
Chelsea has progressed from five of their last seven Champions League matches when losing the first leg on the road. Coming back from 2-0 is tough, but not impossible. On the other hand, Real Madrid has progressed from 18 of their last 19 Champions League matches after winning the first leg by two or more goals.
Chelsea vs Real Madrid: What are the odds?
Opta has Chelsea with a 33.7% chance of winning and Real Madrid at 40.6%, with a 25.7% chance of a tie. The odds are definitely against Chelsea in this match, but sometimes that’s exactly when Chelsea thrives.
“It’s a Champions League quarterfinal [against] Real Madrid, we’re playing at home…obviously, it’s not going to be easy,” said Chalsea’s Kepa Arrizabalaga. “But I don’t think we need the performance of our life. We need a good performance. Obviously, we need to deliver our best and do the right steps.”
Chelsea is coming into this game fresh off of a home-game loss to Brighton, their fifth Premier League loss in a row. Lampard said it’s “not a question of player commitment” and that it’s up to him to find ways to win. When he was a player for Chelsea, he led them on a Champions League run to victory in 2012.
“I’ve been here too many times on a Champions League night at Stamford Bridge not to understand that the atmosphere is going to be great,” said Lampard. “It is down to us to engage the crowd. They can help us.”