West London club are going in search of back-to-back European titles.
‘Interim’ Chelsea head coach Rafa Benitez is set to perform a dramatic U-turn by playing veteran midfield player Frank Lampard in Wednesday’s Uefa Europa League final against Benfica in the Netherlands, according to reports in the Sun.
It had been expected that the former Valencia, Liverpool and Inter Milan manager would use the 34-year-old only from the substitutes’ bench against the in-form Portuguese league leaders in the Amsterdam ArenA after Lampard started Saturday’s crucial 2-1 win against Aston Villa at Villa Park in the Premier League.
However, due to injuries sustained by captain and centre-back John Terry, playmaker Eden Hazard and holding midfield player John Obi Mikel in the Midlands, Benitez has now been forced to not only start the England international against the Portuguese, but to also hand Lampard the captain’s armband.
Lampard has featured in 28 top-flight fixtures to date for the Blues this season and overall in 48 matches in all competitions.
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