“We’re going there relatively confident” – Lampard previews big Champions League match

Chelsea have began preparations for their big Champions League match away against Ajax this Wednesday.

Frank Lampard and his players will be looking to extend their winning streak to six matches after winning 1-0 away to Newcastle United at the weekend.

But the opposition on Wednesday night will provide a very tough test. Ajax currently sit on top of the Eredivisie and won their last Champions League match 3-0 away at Valencia.

They have a young and quick team who will certainly provide a threat for the Chelsea defence, and they’ll also have the home advantage in Holland.

Lampard cuts a confident figure though with the momentum he has picked up off the back of some big recent victories after a stuttering start to the season.

His players are playing with belief and a real desire to win matches now, bringing that squad togetherness that wins matches alone at times.

Lampard has been previewing the game on the Chelsea website, he said:

“Newcastle was an education in terms of trying to break down a team with 10 men behind the ball a lot of the time. Lille was a big education in terms of Champions League debuts.

“And now another one against Ajax, a top-level team who managed to reach the semi-finals and who play a certain way.

“I think particularly off the ball you have to be fully concentrated, in terms of what they can do to you with how they move and play.

“We got a good result in Lille, which changes the face of it slightly, and now these two games against Ajax are really big because they’re such a strong team.

“They’ve got six points on the board and they’ll give us a problem in terms of the atmosphere inside the stadium being strong.

“The movement of the team and the way they play football will be a big test for us. I think we’re going there relatively confident and take on the challenge.”

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