Lampard relishes Barca rematch

Frank Lampard has called for bitter memories of last year’s controversial Champions League encounter between Chelsea and Barcelona not to overshadow this season’s mouth-watering re-run.

Chelsea were fined £30,000 (€44,000) and manager Jose Mourinho banned for two games after being charged by UEFA with bringing the game into disrepute for his claims about referee Anders Frisk after the first leg of the last-16 clash at the Nou Camp.

The sides have been drawn to meet again at the same stage of this season’s competition and Lampard, speaking before the FIFA world player of the year gala in Zurich alongside Barcelona stars Ronaldinho and Samuel Eto’o, said the row should not overshadow this contest.

Lampard said: “What happened last year was a great game of football and the other things must not overshadow another great game of football.

“It will be two of the best teams in Europe playing against each other in Europe and that should be what matters, not what happens off the pitch.

“We are desperate to win. We have lost twice in the semi-finals for two years’ running and we know Barcelona will be one of the toughest teams we could meet.”

He added: “It was fantastic to win last year because we understood that Barcelona were one of the strongest teams we would meet, and we knew the game could have gone either way.

“This season it will be an other great spectacle with both teams playing at the same level – they are flying now.”

Barcelona’s Brazil star Ronaldinho described the forthcoming games as “the match of the year” and echoed Lampard’s remarks.

He said: “It will be a great game and everyone who loves football should enjoy two great matches.”

Eto’o meanwhile insisted neither side could be regarded as favourites.

He said: “They have their style of playing football and we have a different way. They are the leaders in England and we are the leaders in Spain so who’s the favourite… I don’t know.

“I just hope our home ground will be in our favour but having said that, they are a strong away team – sometimes stronger away than they are at home.”

Meanwhile, Lampard has distanced himself from reports that he might be tempted by a move to Barcelona – his fiancée Elen Rives is Catalan and he admitted her family are fervent Barcelona fans and were “very angry” by Chelsea’s Champions League victory last season.

Lampard, however, insists he is completely dedicated to Chelsea.

He said: “I’m a Chelsea player, I’m a very loyal player, and I concentrate 100% on the team. It’s impossible for me to do anything else.

“I have a fantastic manager, fantastic team-mates around me that have helped me get to this position and I’m looking forward to big success this year.”