Chelsea never pinned hopes on Manchester City ban: Frank Lampard
Jul 13, 2020
London [UK], July 13 : Chelsea head coach Frank Lampard on Monday said the side wants to win the remaining games of the season to qualify for the Champions League and insisted that they were never "pinning hopes" from Manchester City's European ban being upheld.
The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) has overturned UEFA-imposed sanctions on City that would have seen them ruled out of continental competition for two years.
"I genuinely don't see beyond the games at hand. We've got a few games now, we know that. We want to win them and then see if it gets us European, Champions League football for next season," Goal.com quoted Lampard as saying.
"I was never pinning my hopes on it being an extra team getting in or not, we worry about ourselves. If we win enough games now we can get into the Champions League," he added.
Chelsea are placed at the third spot with 60 points, one point clear of Leicester City, with three games remaining.
The top-four sides of England's top-flight qualify for the Champions League. It will be a tough fight between the Blues, Manchester United and Leicester City for the two spots as Liverpool and Manchester City have already confirmed their berth.
Lampard added on whether pressure on his side has now been ramped up: "I don't know. We are sitting third, it is in our hands. I wouldn't want the players to be thinking that there is an extra place, can we relax a little more? It can't be the way. The pressure is there to get Champions League football. It is just what happened [with City], it is clear now. It's the position and we have to fight for it."
Chelsea will next face Norwich City at Stamford Bridge on Wednesday, July 15.
