Frank Lampard, Chelsea’s interim manager and all-time leading goalscorer, has stated that he “won’t let anyone off the hook” following their Champions League exit at the hands of Real Madrid. The Blues were knocked out of the competition 4-0 on aggregate, and have now lost all four games since Lampard’s return to Stamford Bridge. He said: “Every game you play you have to give everything. I’m hungry, and I won’t let anyone off the hook in terms of seeing this season out. It has to be the opposite.”
Chelsea had hoped to qualify for Europe next season by winning the Champions League, but now they must face up to a trophyless campaign in which they have spent around £600m on players in the last two transfer windows. Tuesday’s performance was the best of Lampard’s brief second tenure as Blues boss, but they were unable to take their chances. Lampard said: “It’s not for the want of trying. We had lots of crosses and lots of players in good positions so I will never criticise the lads for that – it’s just the fact that if they took any of those chances. Now that standard cannot drop. That’s the one message, once the dust settles on this, in-house.”
Chelsea have seven league games remaining, the first of which is at home against Brentford on Wednesday, 26 April.