Frank Lampard reacts to reports Todd Boehly told the Chelsea dressing room the season has been embarrassing

LONDON – Goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga was optimistic Chelsea can come back from

2-0 down

in their Champions League quarter-final, second leg against Real Madrid on Tuesday, but admitted it might require the “performance of our lives”.

The Blues have lost all three matches since caretaker manager

Frank Lampard returned to the dugout

after Graham Potter’s sacking, and few have given them a chance against the reigning European champions.

But, on Monday, Arrizabalaga said: “Remontadas (comebacks in Spanish) can happen and can happen tomorrow. We need a big performance, the performance of our lives maybe, but a big performance all the same.”

Chelsea co-owner Todd Boehly had confidently predicted before the first leg that his team would win 3-0. They lost 2-0.

The Telegraph has suggested that the American has attempted to rouse Blues players to a remontada against Real by labelling the club’s season as “embarrassing” in a changing-room dressing down after

Saturday’s 2-1 English Premier League defeat by Brighton & Hove Albion.

They reported that co-owners Boehly, Behdad Eghbali and Hansjorg Wyss were in the dressing room after the loss and, following Lampard’s post-match speech to the squad, Boehly gave one of his own.

He said results and Chelsea’s position in the bottom half of the Premier League table (11th) following an unprecedented £600 million (S$990 million) transfer outlay was “embarrassing”.

The Guardian reported that Boehly left the dressing room after an hour.

It also said an unnamed senior player, who was signed for big bucks in the last 12 months, was fingered for criticism, adding he “is believed to be disillusioned with the situation and cut a disgruntled figure in training”.

Both publications said the motivation behind Boehly’s speech was to spur the team to salvage the season.

Both Arrizabalaga and Lampard were asked about the incident at Monday’s press conference.

Said the Spaniard: “Todd comes to the changing room every game. He has different chats with us every game. I’m not going to say what he said, but it’s normal for him to come to the changing room.”

Lampard added: “I am comfortable with that. There was maybe some criticism of our old owner of not coming to the game, which wasn’t always true.

“But when the owners are very invested in the team and want to help and improve, I think it’s their prerogative to have the input they want.

“I remember as a player when the owners used to come through into the dressing room. So I don’t think that’s a bad thing when you want to get to where you want to get to.

“I have no problem with it from my point of view. I had my things to say after the game.

“If an owner wants to come in say something to the players, then I think it’s absolutely his part to do that... It shows passion and that’s the first thing I want.”

Meanwhile, Real coach Carlo Ancelotti’s return to Chelsea evokes warm memories of one of the finest Premier League teams, whom he led to their first league and FA Cup double in 2010 – they were halcyon days in stark contrast to the Blues’ recent slump.

The Italian’s Chelsea side featured big characters including Didier Drogba, John Terry, Michael Ballack and Lampard himself, and they racked up 7-0, 7-1 and 8-0 triumphs at the Bridge as they strolled to domestic glory.

Chelsea’s current expensively assembled hodgepodge of players lack both the leadership and quality of that group, as was laid painfully bare in their defeat at the Santiago Bernabeu last week.

“I am sad, yes. I have a fantastic memory of this club, of the people that are still working there,” said Ancelotti before that clash.

“I’m a supporter of Chelsea, of course, because I spent two really nice years there. I think and I hope Lampard will be able to do a fantastic job with them.” AFP