Saying that Chelsea are currently “broken” is “a bit much”, says their interim manager Frank Lampard.
The Blues sacked manager Graham Potter earlier this month with the team 11th in the Premier League, despite spending more than £550m on players this season.
The Champions League is the last competition they can win this season but they trail Real Madrid 2-0 before Tuesday’s quarter-final second leg.
“We are not where we want to be. That’s clear,” said Lampard.
“But I think the word broken is a bit much.
“The league position is a reality, and we are 2-0 down in this game. We have to work against that.”
Real have won the Champions League a record 14 times, beating Liverpool in last season’s final, and are second in Spain’s La Liga.
So Lampard was asked if overturning Real’s advantage from the first leg and reaching the semi-finals would rival 2012 when, as a player, he helped Chelsea win the Champions League for the first time.
“I don’t think anything that happens tomorrow will be better than winning the Champions League,” said the 44-year-old, who is Chelsea’s record goalscorer.
“We had many difficult moments on that run – against Barcelona and Napoli. It was a huge run where there were a lot of big achievements.
“But considering the score now, the team we are up against and the moment we are in, we have to fight really hard to make it happen so, of course, it would be special.”
Real coach Carlo Ancelotti recalled how his side were 3-1 up against Chelsea after the first leg of last season’s quarter-finals, only to need a late goal in the second leg to take the tie into extra time before winning 5-4 on aggregate.
“What happened, happened. We want to struggle less tomorrow,” said the Italian, who won a league and FA Cup double as Chelsea manager in 2010.
“Chelsea has a difficult moment. I’m thinking the game tomorrow can be a great opportunity for them to move from this situation. We’re aware of this.
“Ninety minutes remain and in this type of competition anything can happen. We’ll be ready to play at our best.”
Lampard has ‘no problem’ with Boehly in changing room
The Telegraph has reported that Chelsea’s co-owner and chairman Todd Boehly went into the changing room after Saturday’s 2-1 home defeat by Brighton and delivered a speech to the players, during which he called the club’s situation “embarrassing”.
Speaking on Monday, Spanish goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga said: “Todd comes into the changing room after every game. He has had different chats with us over different games.
“I’m not going to say what he said but it is normal for him to come into the changing room.”
Lampard was then asked about the American investor, who completed his takeover of Chelsea last summer, coming into the changing room.
“I am comfortable with that,” he said. “I think when an owner is very invested in their interest in the team and wants to help them improve, it is their prerogative to have the input that they want.
“I remember as a player, the owner [Roman Abramovich] first coming into the dressing room. It happened here at Chelsea but had never really happened for me before. I remember being happy you could high-five the owner and listen to them.
“I don’t think it’s a bad thing in terms of the identity of the club and where you want to get to, I have no problem with it. I have my thing to say after the game.
“If an owner comes in and wants to be positive, wants to speak to the players, then I think it’s absolutely in their power to do that. In fact, I think it shows passion and that’s the first thing that I like.”
