Tuesday 24 February 2015 19:36, UK
Manchester City are strong enough to win the Champions League, reckons Frank Lampard.
City face Barcelona in the first leg of their last-16 tie aiming to avenge the 4-1 aggregate defeat they suffered at the same stage last season.
And though Manuel Pellegrini's side left it late to secure their place in the knockout stage with a final-day win over Roma, Lampard ranks his team-mates alongside their La Liga counterparts as real contenders for glory.
“I can feel it in the club and we are certainly aware about what a big game it is that it’s a situation where we want to take it on and we want to show that you can get past Barcelona and try and advance all the way to the final,” said Lampard, speaking at an event to celebrate the inclusion of former England captain Bobby Moore in EA SPORTS FIFA 15 Ultimate Team Legends.
“I think that anyone that looks at this will say that there’s five or six teams that are in contention: Barcelona, Man City are two of them, Real Madrid obviously are the current holders, Chelsea if you’re looking in England would be a massive strength, Bayern Munich and I think generally in the Champions League in recent years the big boys come out playing against each other.
“I think maybe Man City would be disappointed in recent years where they have got to the Champions League but for me it is coming.
Lampard has won the Champions League once before with Chelsea in 2012 and was runner-up with the Blues in 2008.
But a second winners’ medal is still a way away, with the 36-year-old admitting Barcelona are starting to once again resemble the all-conquering outfit assembled by Pep Guardiola.
“All over the pitch they have strengths but their attack in those three (Messi, Neymar and Suarez) they have world stars that we will have to deal with as a team, not just as a back four, as a team,” Lampard said.
“Barcelona have got this record in recent years of winning Champions Leagues, winning La Liga. Manchester City are striving to get at that level and we will arrive at that level at some point.
“We are going to be facing a really strong team with individuals including, for me, the greatest player in the world in Lionel Messi, so whatever way you look at it, it’s going to be a really tough game.”
Frank Lampard was speaking on behalf of the Bobby Moore Fund to celebrate the inclusion of the former England captain in EA SPORTS FIFA 15 Ultimate Team Legends Xbox game.
