Lampard: It's all about now

Chelsea midfielder Frank Lampard will focus on the present as he prepares to lead his team into tonight’s Europa League final against Benfica in Amsterdam.

The 34-year-old, who is out of contract this summer, is poised to skipper the Blues into a second successive European final as club captain John Terry is struggling with an ankle injury sustained at Aston Villa on Saturday, when Lampard scored twice to become Chelsea’s record goalscorer.

Lampard, who surpassed Bobby Tambling’s 43-year-old mark of 202 goals, said: “I don’t know what the future exactly holds, but it doesn’t matter [tonight]. It’s about winning the game.

“All of us here want to win this for Chelsea.”

The Amsterdam ArenA clash could be Lampard’s last European game for the Blues, who are seeking to become the first side to hold the Champions League and Europa League titles at the same time following their win in Munich 12 months ago.

Lampard has not discussed whether it will be he or Terry who would lift the trophy as he thinks it may jinx Chelsea’s chances of success.Terry missed last year’s Champions League final through suspension,

but it still did not stop the defender turning up in his full kit to lift the trophy with Lampard – an act which led to some derision of the former England skipper online.

“Before the game I don’t think it’s something to talk about,” Lampard added.

“I don’t like to tempt fate. I haven’t had a conversation with anyone.

“I don’t think you should do. We will see. We win together so it doesn’t matter who picks it up because they will be one of the staff and we’re all the same.”

Rafael Benitez said Chelsea would wait to make a final decision on Terry, but confirmed Eden Hazard is unavailable due to a hamstring injury, while John Obi Mikel appeared laboured in his movement at the end of training following a recent hip problem. It all points to Lampard starting.

Terry made a brief appearance at the squad’s final training session last night, jogging with the physio, rather than warming up with the rest of the squad before retreating to the changing room.

Goalkeeper Petr Cech is a certain starter and insisted the ignominy of becoming the first holders to be eliminated from the Champions League at the group stages propelled Chelsea through the second-tier competition.

“The disappointment is always big when you go out of the Champions League,” Cech said.

“That drove us through the campaign until here. We used that as a motivation to do better.”

Chelsea’s most recent two European finals – the 2008 Champions League final, which they lost to Manchester United, and the 2012 win over Bayern Munich – were decided on penalties.

Cech is unfazed by the prospect of another shootout.

“It doesn’t really matter how you win the European final, if you win it,” he said.

“If we have to win it on penalties, let it be.”