Chelsea welcome Real Madrid to Stamford Bridge this evening looking to defeat the odds and secure their place in the Champions League semi-final. The Blues are 2-0 down after the first leg last week and must win by at least two clear goals if they are to stand a chance of keeping their season alive.
Frank Lampard would have taken some confidence from last week's fixture with Los Blancos looking far from their usual self. However, many have doubted the west Londoners' chances of overturning the deficit.
Chelsea have fallen to three straight defeats since Lampard's appointment as caretaker manager. If they are to produce another famous Champions League night at Stamford Bridge, they will have to put in a perfect display throughout.
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"Anything is possible, in football anyway," Lampard said on Monday. "There's no doubt that we are a competitive team and that we deserve to be here at this stage of the competition. We also understand that the opponent is of a really high level."
And despite the poor form on the field and upheaval of the internal structure of the club, there is an obvious reason for optimism ahead of the visit of the European champions. Veteran defender Thiago Silva, who played a starring role in Chelsea's 2021 Champions League win, has sent his own motivational message on social media.
Posting on his Instagram story, the 39-year-old posted a graphic that read: "If there's 1% chance, have 99% faith," alongside the key information for tonight's clash.
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