Calling Chelsea broken ‘a bit much’ -Lampard

Saying that Chelsea are currently “broken” is “a bit much”, says their interim manager Frank Lampard.

The Blues sacked manager Graham Potter earlier this month with the team 11th in the Premier League, despite spending more than £550m on players this season.

The Champions League is the last competition they can win this season but they trail Real Madrid 2-0 before Tuesday’s quarter-final second leg.

“We are not where we want to be. That’s clear,” said Lampard.

“But I think the word broken is a bit much.

“The league position is a reality, and we are 2-0 down in this game. We have to work against that.”

Real have won the Champions League a record 14 times, beating Liverpool in last season’s final, and are second in Spain’s La Liga.

So Lampard was asked if overturning Real’s advantage from the first leg and reaching the semi-finals would rival 2012 when, as a player, he helped Chelsea win the Champions League for the first time.

“I don’t think anything that happens tomorrow will be better than winning the Champions League,” said the 44-year-old, who is Chelsea’s record goalscorer.

“We had many difficult moments on that run - against Barcelona and Napoli. It was a huge run where there were a lot of big achievements.

“But considering the score now, the team we are up against and the moment we are in, we have to fight really hard to make it happen so, of course, it would be special.”

Lampard has ‘no problem’ with Boehly coming into changing room

The Telegraph has reported that Chelsea’s co-owner and chairman Todd Boehly went into the changing room after Saturday’s 2-1 home defeat by Brighton and delivered a speech to the players, during which he called the club’s situation “embarrassing”.

Speaking on Monday, Spanish goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga said: “Todd comes into the changing room after every game. He has had different chats with us over different games.

“I’m not going to say what he said but it is normal for him to come into the changing room.”

Lampard was then asked about the American investor, who completed his takeover of Chelsea last summer, coming into the changing room.

“I am comfortable with that,” he said. “There was maybe some criticism of our old owner [Roman Abramovich] for not coming to games and not being around, and that wasn’t always true.

Lampard says Blues got basics wrong in Brighton defeat

“I think when an owner is very invested in their interest in the team and wants to help them improve, it is their prerogative to have the input that they want.

“I remember as a player, the owner first coming into the dressing room. It happened here at Chelsea but had never really happened for me before. I remember being happy you could high-five the owner and listen to them.

“I don’t think it’s a bad thing in terms of the identity of the club and where you want to get to, I have no problem with it. I have my thing to say after the game. If an owner comes in and wants to be positive, wants to speak to the players, then I think it’s absolutely in their power to do that.

“Like Kepa has said, it can be regular in the modern day, and I’ve no problem. In fact.

I think it shows passion and that’s the first thing that I like.”

‘No favourites in search for new manager’

During Lampard’s 11 days back at Stamford Bridge, it’s fair to say things haven’t gone to plan.

He’s suffered three losses and now has another match against the European champions, where Chelsea are already 2-0 down.

It would be a huge shock if they managed to win the game but Lampard sent the message that ‘anything is possible’ at his pre-match news conference.

Lampard is only back at the club until the end of the season and the search for their third permanent manager in 12 months is under way.

It’s been reported that

Julian Nagelsmann has been approached. Chelsea are conducting a wide search to try to get this appointment right and build on the project they have planned.

I have been told that there are no favourites at this stage and the club are going to speak to a number of candidates before they pick their next manager.

AC Milan Thrash Napoli In Victor Osimhen's Absence

Serie A league leaders, SC Napoli had a night to forget on Sunday as they were thrashed 4-0 by visiting AC Milan in what is regarded as the Champions League quarter-final rehearsal with their talismanic goals scorer, Victor Missing due to injury

In the first of three matchups between Milan and Napoli this month, the defending Serie A champion routed this season’s runaway leader 4-0 on Sunday ahead of two more clashes in the Champions League quarterfinals in two week's time.

Rafael Leão scored twice and Brahim Diaz set up one goal and scored another to hand Napoli its heaviest defeat of what otherwise has been an extraordinary season.

“We’re happy with the performance but it’s just one game,” Milan coach Stefano Pioli said. “Tonight’s result has nothing to do with the Champions League games, because that’s a different competition. That will be a very balanced contest.”

Napoli’s only other losses in the Italian league this season both came by scores of 1-0, to Inter Milan in January and to Lazio a month ago.

Napoli was also beaten 2-0 by Liverpool in the final match of the Champions League group phase but that loss came after the Partenopei had already clinched a spot in the round of 16.

Otherwise, Napoli’s only other defeat in 2022-23 came against Cremonese on penalties in the Italian Cup.

Milan moved up to third place, 20 points behind Napoli and four points behind Lazio.

Milan controlled from the start at the Diego Armando Maradona stadium and Diaz set up Milan’s early opener for Leão with a perfect through ball. Leão — last season's MVP — then did the rest by chipping in over Napoli goalkeeper Alex Meret.

Diaz produced some more fireworks when he faked out Mario Rui to score with a deflection from close range in the 25th.

It marked the first time that Napoli conceded twice in the opening 25 minutes of a Serie A game since a match against Juventus in Aug. 2019.