Frank Lampard began to think
there was no way back for Chelsea in the Champions League final
as the minutes ticked down with Bayern Munich leading 1-0, but
when the match went to a penalty shootout he had no doubts the
trophy was coming to London.
Saturday's final ended 1-1 at the Allianz Arena and after
missing their first kick in the shootout, Chelsea battled back
to win it 4-3.
"I admit when we were trailing 1-0 with about a minute left,
I wasn't so sure," said Lampard.
"Once it went to penalties, I thought there was no way we
were going to lose. I thought, we are going to win this."
Lampard's confidence was remarkable given the circumstances.
Bayern had never lost a penalty shootout in Europe, Chelsea
had never won one, and the German side were at home and taking
the spot-kicks in front of their own fans after captain Philip
Lahm won the toss.
A glance through the record books showed no English team had
beaten a German one on penalties either.
But Lampard said the heartbreak of losing in the final four
years ago to Manchester United on penalties spurred his team to
victory.
"It wasn't going to be a repeat of Moscow, we couldn't have
stood that again," he added.
Thomas Muller headed Bayern ahead in the 83rd minute before
Didier Drogba made it 1-1 in the final two minutes. The night
still seemed to be heading Bayern's way when they moved 3-1
ahead in the penalty shootout after Juan Mata missed Chelsea's
first spot-kick.
However, Ivica Olic missed for Bayern and when
Schweinsteiger struck the post the stage was set for Ivorian
Drogba to write his name into Chelsea folklore and stun Bayern's
supporters into shocked silence.
Chelsea not only stopped Bayern winning the title for a
fifth time, they also became the first London side to win
Europe's top club competition in its 57-year history and the
third English team to beat Bayern after Aston Villa in 1982 and
Manchester United in 1999.
Lampard continued: "I really wasn't sure there was a way
back and I was thinking well, perhaps it wasn't meant to be
after all... then Didier equalised with a minute to go and Petr [Cech] saved Arjen Robben's penalty in extra time and I thought,
'we are going to do this'.
"And when the penalties started I was sure."
The 33-year-old heaped praise on Drogba, whose contract is
set to expire and could well have played his last match for the
club.
"I have to say, Didier was the main man tonight, and he dug
us out of a hole there.
"The man is a Chelsea legend, he is a hero, without him
we're not here. He scores the goals in the big games."
Asked if this victory could mark the break-up of a side that
have largely been together for most of the last decade, he said:
"No, I don't see why it should.
"Teams are always changing, but why should we stop now? We
want to carry on, move fowards. We've won the FA Cup and now the
Champions League and the determination and spirit we have shown,
its been fantastic."
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