Chelsea crashed out of the Champions League with a 4-0 aggregate loss to holders Real Madrid in the quarter-final; Frank Lampard was frustrated Eder Militao was not shown a second yellow card and vowed "Chelsea will be back" after a very poor season
Wednesday 19 April 2023 12:53, UK
Frank Lampard vowed "Chelsea will be back" despite their season ending with a whimper against Real Madrid in the Champions League.
Chelsea exited the competition with a humbling 4-0 aggregate loss to the holders as a Rodrygo double condemned them to a 2-0 defeat at Stamford Bridge.
The Blues, 11th in the Premier League table and 17 points off the Champions League spots with only seven games left to play, now face a season outside of Europe's premier competition, leaving them with little to play for in the remaining weeks of the campaign.
"People will make a lot about this season as we've had so much success but the reality is: this club will be back," Lampard said.
"It will take work and a bit of process. I think the fans appreciated the performance today, there have been times this season where they haven't felt that so we have to latch onto that and get results until the end of the season.
"We've been fortunate to have so much success, many clubs would dream of having our success with Premier League's and Champions League's. Maybe this is the year where we aren't where we want to be - could be to do with transitions. A few years ago we didn't make the Champions League then Chelsea won the Premier League the next year so we can be too short term with it. There are places we need to improve as a club. The game tonight shows that as we played a good game and we lost.
"There are new players here getting used to the club, it hasn't been easy. Some of the greatest players in the Premier League when they first arrive need time even when teams are flying. When they find their feet, they fly. That's the case with some of our players in terms of transitioning.
"The Premier League moves so fast and the landscape is changing. No team has divine right to be in the top four. Manchester United and Arsenal have spent times out of the Champions League - many big clubs have. In this moment it's pointless to predict whether [being out of Europe] will be good or bad is pretty pointless. But we can set the building blocks of where we can get to. Can I affect it in this period? Hopefully, yes. But the bigger thing for the club is getting back to where we were. But the challenges are big. Everyone is getting better. Everyone is investing.
"Clubs are more stable than we are in terms of the squad. So we can't get ahead of ourselves other than understanding what it takes to get back. I understand what it takes to get back from being here as a player and coach in the Champions League. We must set the standard high. In my next seven games I'll do my mini-version of that."
Chelsea gave Real Madrid plenty of issues in the first 60 minutes at Stamford Bridge with a positive performance on the night but, in keeping with their season as a whole, failed to take their chances, with N'Golo Kante spurning their two best opportunities.
A key moment came on 54 minutes when Eder Militao, already on a booking, stopped a Trevor Chalobah forward run but the referee decided against showing him a second yellow card. Lampard was left frustrated with the decision.
He said: "Militao was a second yellow card, I won't say what I really think. At this level a yellow card is given a lot. In the attacking final third, the attacking player is beyond the centre back which is a yellow card which means a red and half an hour of here we go. That's what we had to do [in Real], they should have had to do it here but it didn't happen."
Thiago Silva believes the Chelsea players also have to take responsibility for the club's torrid season and not leave the blame solely on the changes in manager.
"Everybody talks too much about replacing managers, but I think we, the players, must also take responsibility," he said. "We have had three managers this season, plus a fourth one Bruno that was in front of the team. Bruno failed to win, we have lost today and with Lampard we have also failed to win.
"Everybody is talking about the manager, but we must look at what has been done wrong and try to change."
On his own performances, the 38-year-old said: "It has been a very difficult season and very frustrating for me personally. It might have been my last match in the Champions League.
"I have only one year left of my contract and my career is reaching the final. It is a very sad and disappointing day, but I think we must continue working to try to win as many matches as possible to the end of the season."
