Carlo Ancelotti: Real Madrid not underestimating Chelsea in UCL quarter-finals

  /  Stamfordblue

Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti is not underestimating Chelsea ahead of their Champions League quarter-final.

The Italian guided Real to a 14th European title last season and is hoping to keep their defence alive when his side host the Premier League side in the first-leg on Wednesday evening.

Chelsea arrive to the tie off the back of a hugely disappointing season with head coach Graham Potter paying for a poor run of performances and results with his job earlier this month.

Former player and boss Frank Lampard has since returned to the club in an interim capacity as they look to turn their season around.

Ancelotti himself has been linked with a return to Stamford Bridge but instead backed Lampard, whom he coached at the club in his own managerial tenure there, to do a good job in his time in the caretaker role.

“I have great memories of the club, of the people at the club,” he said ahead of the tie. “I'm a Chelsea fan, of course. I had a great time there. To go back? No. Lampard is going to do a great job.

“Having 20 years more experience than him is not going to be decisive. He was a great player, a fantastic professional, and he knows very well what can happen in a game like this.

“He arrived a week ago and knows a lot of the players, I'm sure he will do well in the time he is at Chelsea.”

Real saw off Chelsea at this stage a year ago on their way to lifting the trophy.

They did so only after surviving a furious comeback from the English side in the second leg in Spain with Ancelotti expecting a similar challenge this time around.

“We suffered a lot, yes, due to different circumstances. We had a big advantage after the first leg and then we suffered,” he added.

“They are a great club, with very good players and we have to respect them. They are not going through a good moment but in this kind of match if they have such a great motivation.

“The squad is of a very very high level.”

Defender David Alaba echoed his manager's thoughts on the tie and knows his team will have to be at their best, despite Chelsea's current poor run.

“We don't underestimate Chelsea, we know they have a great squad, that they are a great team,” he added.

“We have to be very focused, press from the first minute and try to be successful tomorrow. They have very good players.

“The changes they've made in the last week could influence in some way and we know it.”

Real host the first leg at the Bernabeu on Wednesday night before travelling to Stamford Bridge for the return leg next Tuesday.


Related: Chelsea Real Madrid Lampard Ancelotti
Download All Football for more comments