Frank Lampard’s first Real test

Madrid, April 11

The latest encounter between Real Madrid and Chelsea in the Champions League will put a spotlight on their coaches.

Chelsea will travel for tomorrow’s first leg in Madrid with Frank Lampard trying to win for the first time since being named interim coach.

Will I go back (as coach)? No, I hope Lampard will be able to do a fantastic job with them… Lampard has been a great player who I coached for two years. Carlo Ancelotti, Real Madrid Coach

Madrid will play still surrounded by doubts about Carlo Ancelotti’s future amid rumours of him taking over Brazil’s national team.

The outcome could potentially help Lampard reclaim a permanent job with the English club, or influence Ancelotti’s decision on whether to accept the Brazil job.

Chelsea appointed Lampard to replace Graham Potter and lost their first game with him in charge in the Premier League over the weekend. They enter the match at the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium on a four-match winless run. They have won only two of their last 11 matches in the Premier League, where they sit in 11th place.

“We have an opportunity against a fantastic team and we just have to attempt to make the most of the opportunity — go there with confidence and go there with a belief, because otherwise you don’t turn up,” said Lampard, the former Chelsea midfield great who also coached the team in 2019-21.

Ancelotti and Madrid are coming off a 2-3 home loss to Villarreal that all-but-ended the team’s hopes of winning the Spanish league, leaving them 13 points behind leaders Barcelona with 10 matches remaining. Their focus now is on the Champions League and the Copa del Rey final against Osasuna in May.

Ancelotti has said he wants to remain with Madrid until the end of his contract next year, but acknowledged that he was flattered to know about Brazil’s interest in him. Brazil’s national team has an interim coach since after the World Cup and wants a replacement to be announced soon.

The last two Champions League winners, Madrid and Chelsea have got used to facing each other in the knockout stages of the competition recently. Madrid got the best of Chelsea in the quarterfinals last season on their way to a record-extending 14th European title. — AP