Chelsea will have edge in semi-final, claims Lampard
Frank Lampard is confident he will play in Champions League final
Wednesday, 09, Apr 2008 09:32
Midfielder Frank Lampard believes 2008 could be the year Chelsea finally end their Champions League semi-final hoodoo against Liverpool.
This season will see the two Premier League giants face off in the last four of the competition for the third time in four seasons after seeing off Fenerbahce and Arsenal in their respective quarter-finals.
But Lampard claims this year could be a different story because the first leg will be at Anfield with the return match at Stamford Bridge, giving the Blues home advantage for the decider.
"We know a lot about them and they know a lot about us," Lampard told Sky Sports after the draw was confirmed.
"They've got a great Champions League record. I think their team is suited to that. But we have to go into it with a positive mind.
"The one big difference is we go there first and we have to go there and get a positive result to bring back here."
Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez said it is "amazing that it is Chelsea again", and predicted a "very, very tough game" for both teams.
However, he was less certain of Lampard's suggestion that the Blues have an advantage from playing the second leg on home turf.
"Will that be an advantage to Chelsea? I don't know, these games are always very close," he added.