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Lampard praise for Di Matteo

Image: Frank Lampard: Chelsea's stand-in captain was a force of nature against Bayern Munich

Frank Lampard believes Roberto Di Matteo deserves everything after guiding Chelsea to an incredible Champions League success.

Champions League win 'means everything' for midfield veteran

Frank Lampard believes interim first-team coach Roberto Di Matteo deserves everything after guiding Chelsea to an incredible UEFA Champions League success. The FA Cup winners remarkably defeated Bayern Munich in Germany on penalties after being dominated at the Allianz Arena with a performance of sheer grit. It is a remarkable turnaround for Chelsea, who in the first half of the season had been engulfed by internal conflict under the management of Andre Villas-Boas. But Di Matteo, who took over in March, transformed fortunes to bring togetherness and focus back to the Stamford Bridge club. It remains to be seen if the Italian will be given a permanent job by Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich, who was in Munich to watch the finest hour in his club's history.

So close

But, while not directly answering the question, Lampard praised his manager, as he told Sky Sports when asked if Di Matteo should be given the job on a permanent basis: "I don't know. I don't think it is a question for tonight. "It's up to the club, up to the owner. Whatever happens with him, he deserves everything." Lampard, who captained Chelsea in the absence of the suspended John Terry, was phenomenal in driving and motivating his team-mates against Bayern. And finally winning the Champions League after so many heartbreaks in semi-finals and the 2008 final, against Manchester United, was the 2001 signing from West Ham's greatest hour. Lampard, who earlier in the season had been out of favour under Villas-Boas and was infamously benched in the defeat at Napoli, said: "It means everything. We have been so close so many times before."

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