Frank Lampard has been having his standard, UEFA mandated pre-match press conference ahead of our game with Valencia tomorrow, and he was asked plenty of questions about his history in the competition.
The midfielder has a more special record in the competition than most. Huge wins, huge losses, heartbreaking and heart-making moment. This year, expectations aren’t as high as they have been in the past, but there’s still a lot resting on this young team.
Asked what the target was, the manager gave a very honest and straightforward answer, which you can see embedded here:
Lampard on target for the #UCL campaign: "The target it to qualify from the group. It is a tough group but I believe in the players." He said he hopes his players "blossom" at this level as the campaign goes on. #CFC
— Nizaar Kinsella (@NizaarKinsella) September 16, 2019
No funny business there, then. Lampard knows it’s a tough group but also a talented team he’s working with. Getting out of the group has to be the target – how could you expect anything more from an almost rookie manage with young players?
On the other hand, Lampard is well aware that this is a club where winning is expected. Saying you don’t aim to at least get out of the group would not be very ambitious, or transmit the kind of message he wants