Frank Lampard: Chelsea win over Atletico Madrid is one of the great English performances in Europe

The ex-Chelsea performance was seriously impressed by the 2-1 win

Thursday 28 September 2017 13:25 BST
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Lampard was impressed with Chelsea's performance
Lampard was impressed with Chelsea's performance (Getty)

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Frank Lampard has suggested Chelsea’s away victory over Atletico Madrid on Wednesday night deserves to be ranked as one of the all-time great European away nights for an English club.

Michy Batshuayi's goal in the fourth minute of stoppage time saw Chelsea come from behind to win at Atletico as Diego Costa watched on.

Alvaro Morata had earlier cancelled out Antoine Griezmann's opener from the penalty spot.

And speaking after the match on BT Sport, Lampard was full of praise for his former side.

When asked whether he could recall a better performance from an English side playing away in European competition, he said: “I can’t think of one, Eden Hazard was spectacular.

“But I don’t think the performance was spectacular it was so professional, the discipline in how they set up and credit to the manager for that.

“Their work rate and closing down against one of the strongest teams, who are usually closing the other team down and then the quality of their forward play at certain times.

“Listen they didn’t score loads of goals, I don’t think anybody does there. But to win there and perform as well as they did was huge statement from Chelsea.”

Hazard had earlier suggested that the win was Chelsea’s best Champions League performances in his five years at Stamford Bridge.

Asked if the performance was the Blues' best of the season, Hazard told Chelsea TV: “Yes, in the Champions League also. Since I came here it's the first time we've beaten a really good, really strong team in the Champions League.

“We did well, from the first (whistle) to the end of the game. That means we are a good team, we have good players.”

Diego Costa's Chelsea career in numbers

The Belgian forward also praised Batshuayi and Morata for their goals, which came in the first match since Costa's return to Atletico was completed.

Hazard added: “That's why they're on the pitch, to try to score goals. And we are here to create something.

“I'm just happy for them, for Alvaro, for Michy. They're top strikers. Both of them deserve to score goals and they did.

“It was good. Not just at the end of the game, for the whole game we did well.

“We should've scored more goals than two. Sometimes it's good to win at the last second.

“We came here to try to win this game and we did. We're happy.”

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