CHELSEA’S interim manager Frank Lampard has said he has no problem with co-owner Todd Boehly visiting the dressing room after games as the side prepare for the second leg of their UEFA Champions League quarter-final tie against Real Madrid.
Boehly often speaks with the players after matches and during visits to the club’s Cobham training base, and he did so again last weekend in an attempt to inspire them ahead of tomorrow’s clash at Stamford Bridge.
“I’m comfortable with Boehly entering the dressing room. There was criticism of our old owner not coming to games… that wasn’t always true,” Lampard said during his pre-match press conference today.
“But when an owner is very invested it’s their prerogative to have the input they want, it shows passion.
“I remember the moments as a player of owners first coming into dressing rooms — it actually happened here at Chelsea, it never really happened to me before.
“I remember being really happy that you could touch them, you could high-five them, you could listen to them and feel them. So I don’t think it is a bad thing in terms of the identity of the club and where you want to get to.
“I have no problem with it from my point of view. I had my things I wanted to say after the game. If the owner wants to come in be positive, speak to the players be positive. Like Kepa has said there, it can be very regular in the modern day. No problem. In fact, it shows passion and that’s the first thing I like.”
Chelsea go into the second leg with a 2-0 deficit from the first leg last Wednesday in Madrid, but he believes the home crowd can cheer his side to victory tomorrow night.
“The atmosphere is going to be great. It’s up to us to make sure we engage the crowd throughout because they can help us,” the former Chelsea captain said.
“I’ve got no doubt it will be positive. The start of the game, the rest is down to us to play with a real desire to turn this game around. I’ve been here too many times to understand the atmosphere is going to be great. Now it’s time for us to tap into that because they can help us.”
Although Chelsea have lost all three games since Lampard began his second spell in charge as temporary replacement for Graham Potter, the former England midfielder has not given up on his side progressing to the Champions League semi-finals.
“I’ve studied both games from last year. I don’t always but I think it was important because there is a lot of similarities. We also have a quick reference in last week,” he explained.
“I think last week, we had opportunities to score. At the same time there were a lot of things we could have done better. Things we could have done from the outset. Our use of the ball, we have to improve on that tomorrow. That’s for us to work on and hopefully you see the fruits of that in the game.
“I know the players have the capacity to give this a good go.
“I think anything is possible in football anyway. We deserve to be here at this stage of the competition. You have to be careful to compare to previous moments.
“Torres running around the keeper (against Barcelona in 2012), there’s a big body of work behind that, backstory to it. It’s always possible to start that story and we do have that opportunity. Just worth focusing on the here and now with understanding we work hard, anything is possible.”
The Champions League is the only piece of silverware Chelsea can win this season after their exits from the FA Cup and Carabao Cup as well as their 11th spot in the Premier League.
However, Lampard insists there will still be something to fight for even if his side get knocked out tomorrow.
“I’ve got no problem with it. What will be will be after tomorrow,” he offered.
“Every game is an opportunity to win games so the back end of the game is an opportunity to get back to winning. Every game is and should be a huge game.”
