Lampard hopeful Chelsea underdogs can bite Bayern again
A 2-1 victory over Tottenham on Saturday was
Chelsea's first win five games in the league to remain in control of the
race for the top four and a place in the Champions League next season.
Bayern, though, are favourites to sweep aside
Lampard's inexperienced squad and gain revenge for a defeat on home soil
in the 2012 Champions League final.
Lampard was part of the victorious
Chelsea side that night in Munich and believes he can find weaknesses to
hurt the Bundesliga leaders.
"My job is just to prepare the game, look at
the opponent, see their strengths, our strengths and see if we can see
weaknesses there," said Lampard.
"I understand if people do call us the underdogs
because the Bayern Munich team is so strong and if you look at the team,
the medals, the experience they have, maybe we do not have that
experience.
"But these things are there to change. The
underdog is there to turn those things around, those are some of the
best stories in sport. I am focused on what it is going to take to win
these two matches."
'Form of his life'
The obvious threat to Chelsea comes
from Robert Lewandowski, who has scored 10 of his 38 goals this season
in the Champions League.
"Robert at the moment is playing in the form of his life, he's fit and full of confidence," said Bayern boss Hansi Flick.
"He has a real run at the moment and we hope that he will continue that here in the last 16 against Chelsea."
Lampard has bemoaned Chelsea's inability to
turn chances into goals this season and admitted to being a big admirer
of the Polish striker.
"Form of his life means something special with
Lewandowski because of how special he has been consistently in Europe
for many years," added Lampard. "Everything about him is top class."
The appointment of Flick on a temporary basis
after the sacking of Niko Kovac in November has helped propel Bayern
back to the top of the Bundesliga with a run of eight wins and one draw
in their last nine games.
Chelsea came through a tough group to knock
out last season's semi-finalists Ajax and reach the last 16, but Lampard
knows it will take much more to break Bayern's hearts in Europe again.
"Against a team like Bayern Munich in the knockout stages of the Champions League, the levels have to go up.
"I know they had difficulties earlier in the
season, but it is a club that seems to overcome difficulties because of
the strength of the players, the club itself, the structure, the fans.
"I have a huge amount of respect for Bayern Munich."
Lampard hopeful Chelsea underdogs can bite Bayern again
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