Chelsea may be going through abnormal ordeals this season with injuries to key players and poor results in recent weeks, but a former player gives us encouragement going into our Champions League game against AS Roma.
Frank Lampard believes Antonio Conte’s side will go furthest in the Champions League this season among the England quintet currently representing in the competition.
The Premier League champions have shown the signs they could go far, with a very impressive display away at Atletico Madrid’s Wanda Metropolitano stadium, taking all three points with a late Michy Batshuayi goal.
That win saw them top Group E but other English clubs are waving the magic wands in Europe this season too.
Tottenham Hotspur picked up a creditable draw at the Santiago Bernabeu against Real Madrid that saw them sit second, locked on same points as the 12-time Champions League winners, while stretching German Bundesliga leaders Borussia Dortmund by six points.
Both Manchester clubs are comfortable in their respective groups while Liverpool registered a new record becoming the first English club to score seven goals away from home in the competition.
Despite these interesting observations from the other English clubs in Europe’s elite competition this season, Lampard thinks Chelsea’s pragmatism in tactics can take them all the way.
“Manchester City and Manchester United have both got really strong squads but Chelsea’s first XI can rival anybody. Manchester City are playing incredibly at the moment, as we all know.
But I think the way Chelsea set up to go away in Europe and get results, which you have to do, especially in the latter stages – they have a really strong, organised team that can go and do the job like they did at Atletico.
If they lose crucial players it will be tougher. But I do believe if they have a fit squad, they have a great chance of going as far in Europe as any of the English teams.”
Frank Lampard, BT Sport
Chelsea will take on Roma this Wednesday as they seek to take one step closer to qualifying first from the group.
