Azpilicueta has faith in Lampard as Blues boss

Cesar Azpilicueta doesn’t feel a relative lack of managerial experience is going to count against Frank Lampard as Chelsea manager.

The pair were team-mates at Stamford Bridge for two seasons and now Lampard has returned as manager. The ex-midfielder cut his teeth last term as boss of Derby County in the Championship, his Rams side missing out on promotion when they lost to Aston Villa in the Playoff final.

Chelsea have put their faith in the club icon following Maurizio Sarri’s decision to return to Italy and Azpilicueta feels he can succeed, in spite of inexperience.

“The whole experience he has as a player, playing at the highest level, under a lot of very good managers, his personality, behaviour and experience – there is nothing to be worried about as a manager,” he said.

“He was here for a very long and very successful period, and I can only speak the way I was with him as a player and to feel the shirt was to go every day in Cobham to be better, to train hard, to behave well on and off the pitch.

“Obviously, sometimes we lost games but always we wanted to win more and more. We have to be grateful and feel the passion for the shirt. This is a big, big club. We have to take responsibility and know that there is a lot of things around us and we have to work hard to get it better.”

Chelsea are 21.00 to win the Premier League next season and 1.85 to finish in the top four.