Grant hails Lampard

Chelsea boss confirms England star will play

By Graeme Bailey   Last updated: 21st April 2008

Avram Grant Chelsea training Istanbul

Grant delighted with Lampard

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Frank Lampard is available to play against Liverpool in the UEFA Champions League on Tuesday, Chelsea boss Avram Grant has confirmed.

Lampard has missed Chelsea's last two matches on compassionate grounds after his mother was taken ill with pneumonia.

Grant revealed that Lampard has been training by himself and is fit for the crucial first leg of their semi-final clash at Anfield.

The Chelsea boss was full of praise for Lampard's efforts in recent days.

"I must say I respect very much Frank and what he is doing for the club this week," Grant told Sky Sports News.

"It is not an easy situation, you know the situation he is in and I don't want to talk about it anymore.

"But he has given everything for the club, he has trained by himself and I have given him the freedom to do as he feels because there are things that are sometimes more important than football and he came and trained and is available to play."

Grant confirmed that there was still a concern over Michael Ballack ahead of the game.

"We have a problem with Ballack and he is fighting with this and he is doing everything to play, if it was a normal game he would probably rest more but I think he will be available for this game but I am not sure," he said.

History

Grant was quizzed ahead of the game and insisted he was looking to make history as Blues boss - as they have never been beyond the semi-finals of this competition.

Predecessors Claudio Ranieri and Jose Mourinho both failed to guide Chelsea to the Champions League final after reaching this stage.

"I think we are now facing the semi-final and we can speak about a lot of things and what has happened in the past, two years before, two months, but now we can make history and I think about nothing else," he said.

"We lost here [Liverpool] two times [under Mourinho] but that belongs to history and now we can create history instead of talking about it and that is the most important thing," he said.

"When you have the opportunity to make history for this club, you can speak about the history and this, and this, but it is more important to only look at this game, this game and the next one and the other stuff is not so important."