In 2012, when Chelsea beat Bayern Munich to win the Champions League, it looked like the culmination of Roman Abramovich’s ambitious and well-funded project in West London.
The Russian has spent a lot to make the Blues a force in English football before establishing himself among the European elite.
And while the way they won the Continent’s first Cup for the first time may not have been the hoped-for method, with Roberto Di Matteo serving as the interim coach of a team that at best could be described as “cautious”, few could argue that he did not deserve it, after a succession of races until the last stages of the tournament.
However, since that triumphant night at the Allianz Arena, Chelsea’s shares in Europe have declined somewhat.
They have only reached the knockout stages of the Champions League once since 2012, and their semi-final appearance in 2014 was the last time they came close to lifting the trophy.
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Admittedly, the Blues have won the Europa League twice in eight years since Munich, but it is in the Champions League that the final judgment on Abramovich’s reign will probably be made.
Last season’s overall loss to Bayern 7-1 in the knockout first round He underlined how the Stamford Bridge team have fallen down the European pecking order.
Facing the Bundesliga giants for the first time since Didier Drogba’s best night in a blue jersey, Frank Lampard’s team received a football lesson from two of the future champions.
For much of the 180 minutes they looked like a quality Europa League side who were just happy to stay in the competition, rather than a side with some hope of reaching the bottom eight.
The hope is that this season will be different.
Abramovich’s decision to sign £ 220million ($ 275million) on new signings this summer. This has already started to bear fruit, the Blues having lost just one of their 16 games this season in all competitions in 90 minutes, leaving them well in the picture to fight for the Premier League title.
The form of newcomers Timo Werner, Hakim Ziyech, Thiago Silva and Edouard Mendy, along with the continuous improvements shown by local stars Mason Mount, Reece James and Tammy Abraham, also helped secure qualification for the knockout stage of the Champions League with two group matches. additional.
Although they managed a useful draw alongside competition rookies Rennes and Krasnodar, the Blues have done a little job in their continental games so far, and now they know that a win against Sevilla on Wednesday will secure them. first place and a place in between. seeds from round 16.
“I’m delighted to see my players face a Chelsea designed to win the Champions League,” Sevilla manager Julen Lopetegui said ahead of the clash, and his feelings on Lampard’s squad lineup will likely be echoed. in Europe, given that the Blues have spent more than any other club during the summer window.
Although the Blues have impressed against less important rivals so far this season, they were more wary of the more established camps, which saw them draw in the league games against Liverpool, Manchester United and Tottenham, as well as in their first meeting with Sevilla, which ended 0-0.
If Chelsea are to truly compete with the European elite, they will likely have to come out of their shell in the round of 16, although their ability to keep a clean sheet on the other end suggests, at the very least, that he doesn’t. There will be no reruns of Bayern’s La Débâcle this season.
The improved rear has allowed Lampard to go about his business with relative ease, in the hopes that all aspects of the team’s game will start to come together as soon as the trophies come in in the spring.
“Some coaches like to do that, stay in control”, former Chelsea midfielder and BT sport the expert, Joe Cole, before Wednesday’s shock at Ramón Sánchez-Pizjuan stadium. “Sometimes what they say to the press and to their team is sometimes very different.
“I think with Chelsea the structure is in place and there have been improvements in defense and with the goalkeeper, and Frank is in the right place, where he should be.
“You can’t hide from expectations and the owner will demand success. But I think Frank knows it and I’m confident Chelsea will be there at the end of the season.
Lampard is expected to make changes to his Spain roster, with players such as Olivier Giroud and Callum Hudson-Odoi set to return, while Kai Havertz and Christian Pulisic will step up their recovery from illness and injury respectively.
However, the manager doesn’t expect a drop in performance as the 42-year-old is well aware that Abramovich funded a team capable of beating any team in Europe in their day.
It must be remembered that Abramovich was convinced to buy a Premier League club after witnessed Manchester United’s spectacular 4-3 victory over Real Madrid at Old Trafford in 2003.
Know the importance of being successful in Europe. You have now “designed” a computer to do just that. Now Lampard and his team must mobilize and deliver.