Enzo Fernandez explains story Frank Lampard told Chelsea squad that could inspire unlikely win in Champions League
Chelsea star Enzo Fernandez has revealed how Frank Lampard’s story has inspired the squad ahead of their Real Madrid tie.
The Blues face a tough task on Wednesday night when they take on the European champions at the Bernabeu.
After Frank Lampard was appointed on Thursday as interim coach until the end of the season, all eyes are on the Champions League.
It remains the only competition that Chelsea can win but they face their sternest test against Real Madrid while their Premier League form, with two wins in 11, will not give them confidence.
However, Fernandez has opened up over how Lampard has inspired the squad after speaking about his own experience as a player in a similar situation.
In 2012, Andres Villas-Boas was sacked after a 3-1 defeat to Napoli in the Champions League and Roberto Di Matteo managed to steer them to victory in the most unlikely scenarios.
“He told us the story of when he won the Champions League in 2012,” Fernandez said.
“He mentioned he was in his worst moment at Chelsea. It is a great example for us.”
Chelsea prevailed against all odds in 2012 after coming back to beat Napoli in the second leg before famous victories over Barcelona and Bayern Munich.
Lampard captained the Blues in the final in Munich after John Terry was suspended following a red card against Barcelona but the now-Chelsea boss has been keen to make his own stamp on the squad.
“There are parallels in probably a simple sense, we are ex-players,” Lampard said when asked about similarities of him and Di Matteo.
“But the year Robbie was here he was an assistant and had a big awareness of the squad and got the job earlier in the year than I did.
“He did an amazing job. I remember big parts of why he achieved what he achieved.
“My situation is different in practice. I think I have to be careful making that parallel.
“So there’s a lot of work to be done but we’re very committed to trying to, if we can, create our own little bit of history.”
In amongst the chaos of Chelsea, a strong European run always emerges – including Lampard’s first stint that ended in January 2021 and saw Thomas Tuchel arrive.
Within months and the Blues were lifting their second Champions League title.
Now Lampard is on the other side of the coin, though he has downplayed his own inclusion over the success in Porto two years ago.
“I don’t link them,” Lampard exclaimed. “I know the part I played in the last success and it ended when I left the club, as far as I was concerned.”
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