Frank Lampard’s momentary reign at Chelsea is a “risky gamble” but may effectively repay for the beleaguered membership, believes Rafael Benitez.
Former Blues head coach Lampard returned to his former submit on a short-term foundation on April 6 following Graham Potter’s dismissal.
Yet with three losses from his first three video games in cost, it has been removed from a glowing reunion for the membership’s file goalscorer.
Benitez, who led Chelsea as interim boss himself for the majority of the 2012-13 season, feels there’s nonetheless time for Lampard to impact a turnaround.
“It was a surprise for everyone [re-appointing Lampard], but he has been there for many years and knows the players,” Benitez advised the Telegraph.
“It’s a dangerous gamble that we are going to solely have the ability to assess, as virtually at all times, on the finish. He has a nice squad at his disposal, he is aware of the Premier League.
“He knows the players, the staff and the fans will give him more leeway than another manager because he was a great player there. He can give them more peace of mind in the short term.”
Another of Benitez’s former golf equipment, Real Madrid, stood in Chelsea’s manner on Tuesday, with the Blues seeking to overturn a 2-0 deficit of their Champions League quarter-final.
Together, something is feasible. An enormous night time at Stamford Bridge, let’s do that.
COME ON CHELSEA! #UCL pic.twitter.com/wghlHUSmqw
— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) April 18, 2023
Lampard was Benitez’s captain for the 2013 Europa League closing victory over Benfica, the lone honour of a season that noticed the Spanish coach expertise a thorny relationship with the membership’s fanbase.
The former Liverpool boss acknowledges his time on Merseyside possible colored a damaging impression of him amongst Chelsea followers, but he retains fond reminiscences from his spell at Stamford Bridge, steering Chelsea to 3rd place within the Premier League and semi-finals of the EFL Cup and FA Cup.
“It’s not lost on anyone that [Roman] Abramovich’s Chelsea were the strongest team in the Premier League when I arrived at Liverpool,” Benitez mentioned. “We competed with them and beat them within the Champions League a number of instances, these video games had a lot of pressure, and it’s not straightforward for a fan to overlook the emotional half.
“Fortunately, we [at Chelsea] more than fulfilled our objectives of qualifying directly for the Champions League and, on top of that we also won the Europa League. I think everyone now sees it as a success.”
If Chelsea have been trying for encouragement forward of the Madrid second leg, it was offered by current historical past.
The Blues have progressed from 5 of their final seven Champions League ties when dropping the primary leg away from residence, doing so in every of the final two when dropping by two clear objectives: in opposition to Napoli in 2011-12 and Paris Saint-Germain in 2013-14.
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