Frank Lampard also managed Chelsea from July 2019 to January 2021. (Photo by JAVIER SORIANO/AFP via Getty Images)
Chelsea manager Frank Lampard talked about “escapism” as the reason why the Blues have been better in the Champions League compared to the Premier League this season.
If we talk about their performance in Europe this season, Chelsea topped their group and comprehensively beat German giants Borussia Dortmund in the last-16 stage.
On the other hand, the Blues are 11th in the league with 39 points from 30 games. They are closer to the teams in the relegation spots than the fourth-placed Manchester United.
Here’s what Lampard when asked about this puzzle (h/t Football.London):
“I am not sure. I understand the question, if you isolate this year as well. I think there have been challenges this year and the PL is also one of the greatest challenges in world football. It’s tough week in and week out and those challenges have obviously taken us to a place where we don’t want to be as Chelsea Football Club.
“The Champions League sometimes offers you a bit of escapism from that. Different speed of the game, knockout football, those things can all contribute to getting different success in the same season. I think when you get to this stage of the competition, you’re playing teams of the level of Real… Now those comparisons are pretty worthless.”
When a team is in a rut in the league, the change in the competition helps them in restoring some confidence. Although we do not have much of an idea, the Chelsea squad and style of play are probably more suited to them doing well in Europe.
As tough as it is to win games in the Champions League, teams can have good days and go deep in this competition. One does not have to be consistent for 38 games to have any chance of winning this trophy.
We can go back to the 2011/12 season when Chelsea were average in the league but somehow turned up to win Europe’s biggest competition under Roberto di Matteo.
With the quarter-final tie coming up against Real Madrid, the Blues need to harness some of the spirit and desire showed by that team who won by defying the odds in 2012.
Lampard was the player then, he is the manager now. Can he inspire this group of players to do something special in the next few weeks? Let’s wait and find out. If so, there is every chance the former Everton boss can once again become our permanent manager.
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