Darren Fletcher has revealed that Frank Lampard was scheduled to be in attendance for Chelsea's tie with Real Madrid, but as a PUNDIT rather than the club's manager.
The 44-year-old made a sensational return to the Blues on Thursday to become their caretaker manager until the end of the season following the sacking of Graham Potter. Bruno Saltor had taken charge of the goalless draw against Liverpool but Todd Boehly quickly pounced to secure the services of Lampard for their remaining games.
Chelsea have nine more Premier League matches to play, but are more importantly still in Europe, where they could still win their third Champions League in 11 years. The Blues travel to reigning champions Real Madrid on Wednesday in the first-leg of their last-eight tie.
However, Lampard was actually supposed to be on punditry duties for BT Sport before being lured back into management by a team that he spent so much time at as a player and then as a coach. He spent just over 18 months as Chelsea boss before initially being sacked in January 2021.
Speaking as part of 5 Live's Friday Football Social, Fletcher said: "Frank Lampard was supposed to be with us in Madrid to do commentary for the Real Madrid v Chelsea match with me. He sent me a message saying 'I'm supposed to be there working with you, and now I'm going to be on the line!'
"It's total madness that he was going to be there anyway - now he's going to be there in a very important capacity, let alone watching it and analysing it!
"You can imagine what his head's like at the minute, when you were supposed to be working for the television, but now not only are you going to be there, but you're going to be picking the team, working out the tactics, trying to motivate everybody - and in the process try and beat the European champions."
Lampard's first game back in charge of Chelsea is a trip to Wolves on Saturday afternoon. The Blues have failed to win any of their last three matches and currently sit in 11th in the Premier League table.
They are a mammoth 14 points behind fourth-place Manchester United, who also have a game in hand, meaning the Blues are all but set to not qualify for the Champions League domestically in the league.
Although the Blues' focus may already be on that all-important clash in Madrid, Lampard does not see it that way and wants to build his side's confidence and pick up as many victories as he can, no matter the competition.
When asked about Chelsea's target, Lampard said: "To install the highest confidence and we want to win as many games as we can. There are big games ahead of us but we have to have a belief in the players and I'll tell them that today."
"It's a pretty easy decision to make," Lampard explained. "This is my club. In terms of my playing career and having coached here before. I have a lot of emotions and feelings towards the club. I'm also a very practical person.
'When you become a manager, you understand that you don't manage the club you say is yours forever. I've been on a different path since I left Chelsea but to come back at time where the club have asked me to come and take the role, that's the most important thing, but also with the belief that I can come and help the cause in this period until the end of the season."
