Lampard terms Giroud 'ultimate professional' after player's record-breaking performance
Dec 03, 2020
Seville [Spain], December 3 : Chelsea manager Frank Lampard is impressed with Olivier Giroud's match-winning performance against Sevilla and dubbed the player "ultimate professional".
Giroud scripted a Champions League record as he guided his team to a dominating win. Chelsea registered a 4-0 victory over Sevilla, with Giroud scoring all four of his side's goals. With this, the 34-year-old became the oldest player to score a Champions League hat-trick.
"It was an amazing performance, to score four goals at this level, Champions League level, and against a really good opponent. The individual quality of all of his goals - I know the last one was a penalty - but the team quality of the goals and his individual input were good to see. Four goals, rightly he gets a standing ovation as he comes off the pitch. I'm delighted for him," the club's official website quoted Lampard as saying.
"He is the ultimate professional and I think he's done that in his career and I think that's why with Oli, you see his numbers with France, you see his numbers in the Champions League. He wasn't always a regular when I got here but as soon as I came in I could feel the positivity of him as a player - how he wants to train, how he wants to affect people whether he starts or not," he added.
Giroud's four-goal haul also saw him becoming the first Chelsea player to score these many goals in a single game since Lampard in 2010.
"Olivier Giroud becomes first Chelsea player to score FOUR goals in a single game since Frank Lampard in March 2010," Champions League had tweeted.
Giroud netted the opening goal of the match in the eighth minute, followed by three goals in the second half. Chelsea will now take on Leeds United on Sunday in the Premier League.
