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<\/a><\/p>\nLONDON (Reuters) – Chelsea are not a broken team and the club’s co-owner Todd Boehly had every right to address the squad he has invested in, manager Frank Lampard said on Monday ahead of their Champions League quarter-final return leg against holders Real Madrid.<\/p>\n
Chelsea, who trail 2-0 from the first game at the Santiago Bernabeu, are on a six-match winless run, with interim boss Lampard losing his first three games in charge.<\/p>\n
With Chelsea 17 points off the Premier League top four despite spending more than 600 million euros ($655.50 million) on players, winning the Champions League is their only realistic chance of qualifying for the elite competition next season.<\/p>\n
The situation is similar to when Chelsea finished sixth in the league in 2011-12 when Lampard was a player at the club and they qualified for the Champions League by winning the trophy.<\/p>\n
“We’re not where we want to be. I think the word ‘broken’ is a bit much. The league position is reality and we are 2-0 down (against real),” Lampard said ahead of Tuesday’s second leg.<\/p>\n
“We have to work against that, I don’t think anything that happens tomorrow will be better than when we won the Champions League (in 2012).<\/p>\n
“It’s down to us as a team to play with desire and know-how to turn this game around. I’ve been here too many times on a Champions League night not to understand that the atmosphere is going to be great. It is down to us to engage the crowd.”<\/p>\n
Lampard said he would have no problem should Chelsea fail to advance as he was proud to manage the club.<\/p>\n
“What will be, will be after tomorrow,” he added. “Every game is an opportunity to win games … an opportunity to get back to winning. Every game is and should be a huge game.”<\/p>\n
BOEHLY WELCOME<\/p>\n
British media had reported that an upset Boehly had come into the dressing room after Chelsea’s 2-1 weekend loss at home to Brighton & Hove Albion to talk to the squad and Lampard said he was comfortable with the American’s involvement.<\/p>\n
“I think there was some criticism of our old owner (Roman Abramovich) for not coming to games and being around. That wasn’t always true, to be fair,” he said.<\/p>\n
“When an owner is invested in helping the team, it is their prerogative to have the input they want.<\/p>\n
“I’m not going to say what he (Boehly) said but it’s normal when he comes to the changing room.”<\/p>\n
Real’s former Chelsea manager Carlo Ancelotti said club owners have the right to enter the dressing room to talk to the players and their presence can be a good thing.<\/p>\n
“I think this can motivate the players. Chelsea are not going through a good moment and it can inspire the players to play better,” he told a later news conference.<\/p>\n
“It’s a good gesture especially if Frank doesn’t mind. If the chairman came after every game I would feel comfortable. He has the right to know the reasons for the manager’s decisions.”<\/p>\n
The Madrid boss said that despite Chelsea’s poor performance at the Bernabeu they still have an opportunity in the tie.<\/p>\n
“We can be lucky enough to play another semi-final and another final but we have to take it step by step. If we reach the semi-finals, we will have done well,” Ancelotti added. <\/p>\n
($1 = 0.9153 euros)<\/p>\n
\n(Reporting by Rohith Nair in Bengaluru; additional reporting by Angelica Medina in Mexico City; Editing by Christian Radnedge and Ken Ferris)<\/p>\n
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