Champions League: Lampard reacts as Chelsea qualify for knockout stages

Chelsea manager, Frank Lampard, has said he is ‘very happy’ the Blues qualified for the UEFA Champions League knockout stages with two games to spare.

Lampard also said that he wants Chelsea to top the Group E table ahead of Sevilla, Krasnodar and Rennes.

The former England midfielder stated this following his side’s Champions League away 2-1 victory over Rennes on Tuesday night.

“I am very happy to qualify with two games to spare,” Chelsea’s official website quoted Lampard as saying.

“We want to try and top the group, but it was a really tough match for us. Rennes are an underrated team.

“We played well for big spells, and it was a tough, hard-fought win for us.”

Lampard added, “We played really well in the first half-hour. The attitude of the players during tough times, a lot of defending against a big, physical team, and then the reaction after their goal. Our desire to try and score a winner, when we knew a draw wasn’t the worst result, made me really happy. It shows the strength of the group. It has to continue.

“The players that came on and made an impact and helped us win the game. That also strengthens the group as a whole.”