Real - Chelsea: When Lampard chose the bottom

This is the third year in a row that Chelsea and Real have faced each other in the knockout round of the Champions League. In the 2020-2021 season, Chelsea won this pair with a total score of 3-1 in the semi-finals and then defeated Man City to win the title. Last season, Real took revenge in the quarterfinals with a total score of 5-4 and then defeated two English clubs Man City and Liverpool on the way to the coronation.

Chelsea can be seen as a dirty rival to Real. They have only lost one of their seven encounters with the record holder of the C1 Cup / Champions League. Chelsea's defeat rate against Real is only 14%, the lowest of any team that has faced this club more than five times.

This predestined match is also noted by the reunion between the two coaches - Ancelotti and Frank Lampard. Ancelotti led Chelsea from 2009 to 2011, when Lampard was a player at this club. Before the match, the Italian military leader admitted that he still had feelings for Chelsea: "I have good memories with Chelsea, with the people who work there. I used to have two good years working at the club and of course, I'm a Chelsea fan."

Ancelotti has many advantages in the match with Lampard. He admitted: "I'm 63 and Lampard is 44, so I have 20 years more experience than him. But that won't change what happens in the game. Lampard returned to Chelsea less than a week, but I have known many players and I think he will do well during his time at the club."

But Lampard now is not as inexperienced as when he started as a coach in 2018 and then led Chelsea a year later. Having been fired by the club for most of his career and then returned as an interim coach, the 44-year-old former midfielder still maintains a good relationship with many members of the Chelsea squad.

The club's legendary status gives Lampard a bigger voice and he uses that by recalling a part of Chelsea history - the 2011-2012 Champions League victory. Lampard also hinted that he will let Chelsea kick as a bottom team to win a favorable result against a strong opponent.

"Part of winning the 2012 championship was that we were going to die against Barca at Camp Nou in the semi-final and wait for our chance. But we have the desire, the great personality and the level of the team that has been fighting for many years to win it. win the Champions League. So let's take that championship as inspiration. A team that will always go through tough times to achieve great things," he said.

Eden Hazard and Antonio Rudiger also caught the eye when meeting the club that once helped them become famous. Last season, Rudiger scored for Chelsea in the quarter-final second leg at the Bernabeu. But after the end of the contract with the Stamford Bridge team, the German player joined Real. Before this competition, Rudiger claimed Chelsea had changed too much compared to when he was playing here. With Hazard, his career has gone downhill since leaving Chelsea and the Belgian striker is unlikely to have the opportunity to play against his old team.

The return of Benzema can play a decisive role in the success or failure of Real in this match. Last season, the French striker scored a hat-trick against Chelsea in the quarter-finals of the first leg. Benzema's contribution from the beginning of the season was limited due to injury but he was fit again when the season entered the sprint phase. Ferland Mendy will be the only case absent from Real's side.

Chelsea lack Armando Broja and Cesar Azpilicueta. Thiago Silva has returned to practice but may not be strong enough to start. N'Golo Kante did not feature in the defeat to Wolves last weekend. Maybe the French midfielder was reserved for this match by Lampard, similar to the case of Mason Mount.