Frank Lampard
suggested that he may be close to
agreeing a new contract with Chelsea
after the London club recorded a
dramatic 2-1 win over Benfica in
Amsterdam on Wednesday to win the
Europa League.
Lampard's contract expires at the end of
the campaign, but the 34-year-old has
enjoyed a fine season and recently
became Chelsea's all-time scorer after
registering his 202nd and 203rd goals
for the club.
Lampard
Recent reports in the British media have
suggested that he is close to extending
his contract and after Branislav
Ivanovic's stoppage-time goal gave
Chelsea victory at Amsterdam Arena, he
expressed hope that that would be the
case.
"I really, really hope to be around next
year," he told ITV after the game.
"With a game tonight and coming up we
haven't sat down and signed anything,
but I really hope so and things are
looking good. The club have been
brilliant."
Chelsea have endured a turbulent
season, with their Champions League
title defence ending in the group phase
before they lost in the Club World Cup
final to Corinthians.
They also fell in the semi-finals in both
the FA Cup and the League Cup, while
interim manager Rafael Benitez has
faced hostility from the club's fans ever
since succeeding the sacked Roberto Di
Matteo in November.
Wednesday's game was the club's 68th
of the campaign and Lampard felt
victory was a testament to his team-
mates' determination.
"It's been an amazing time for all of us
involved. Talk about ups and downs in
the last two years!" he said.
"But this is a big up. We're a group, a
team, and it was tight tonight after the
long season we've had.
"No-one deserves this more than
Ivanovic — he has been fantastic. You
make your own luck, and we stick
together in this group. The club deserve
it."
Chelsea's victory means that, until the
Champions League final between Bayern
Munich and Borussia Dortmund on May
25, Fernando Torres will be a reigning
World Cup, European Championship,
Champions League and Europa League
winner.
The Spaniard had put Chelsea on course
for victory with a sinuous solo goal on
the hour — his sixth goal of the
tournament — only for Oscar Cardozo to
equalise from the penalty spot in the
68th minute.
However, with extra time beckoning,
Ivanovic sent a header looping over
Benfica goalkeeper Artur from a Juan
Mata corner to give Chelsea the trophy.
"I am very happy. It was a very tough
game, and Benfica were much better in
the first half," admitted Torres.
"The first half was not good enough at
all. We really wanted to win this Europe
League, and maybe this was going to be
our only chance."
On his winning goal, Ivanovic said: "It's
a great feeling for me. I think we play all
season very hard and at the end of the
season, we deserve it.
"This is one of the best moments in my
career, to score the winning goal in a
European final. It's the dream of any
player. All the players, the staff and
supporters deserve this trophy".
suggested that he may be close to
agreeing a new contract with Chelsea
after the London club recorded a
dramatic 2-1 win over Benfica in
Amsterdam on Wednesday to win the
Europa League.
Lampard's contract expires at the end of
the campaign, but the 34-year-old has
enjoyed a fine season and recently
became Chelsea's all-time scorer after
registering his 202nd and 203rd goals
for the club.
Lampard
Recent reports in the British media have
suggested that he is close to extending
his contract and after Branislav
Ivanovic's stoppage-time goal gave
Chelsea victory at Amsterdam Arena, he
expressed hope that that would be the
case.
"I really, really hope to be around next
year," he told ITV after the game.
"With a game tonight and coming up we
haven't sat down and signed anything,
but I really hope so and things are
looking good. The club have been
brilliant."
Chelsea have endured a turbulent
season, with their Champions League
title defence ending in the group phase
before they lost in the Club World Cup
final to Corinthians.
They also fell in the semi-finals in both
the FA Cup and the League Cup, while
interim manager Rafael Benitez has
faced hostility from the club's fans ever
since succeeding the sacked Roberto Di
Matteo in November.
Wednesday's game was the club's 68th
of the campaign and Lampard felt
victory was a testament to his team-
mates' determination.
"It's been an amazing time for all of us
involved. Talk about ups and downs in
the last two years!" he said.
"But this is a big up. We're a group, a
team, and it was tight tonight after the
long season we've had.
"No-one deserves this more than
Ivanovic — he has been fantastic. You
make your own luck, and we stick
together in this group. The club deserve
it."
Chelsea's victory means that, until the
Champions League final between Bayern
Munich and Borussia Dortmund on May
25, Fernando Torres will be a reigning
World Cup, European Championship,
Champions League and Europa League
winner.
The Spaniard had put Chelsea on course
for victory with a sinuous solo goal on
the hour — his sixth goal of the
tournament — only for Oscar Cardozo to
equalise from the penalty spot in the
68th minute.
However, with extra time beckoning,
Ivanovic sent a header looping over
Benfica goalkeeper Artur from a Juan
Mata corner to give Chelsea the trophy.
"I am very happy. It was a very tough
game, and Benfica were much better in
the first half," admitted Torres.
"The first half was not good enough at
all. We really wanted to win this Europe
League, and maybe this was going to be
our only chance."
On his winning goal, Ivanovic said: "It's
a great feeling for me. I think we play all
season very hard and at the end of the
season, we deserve it.
"This is one of the best moments in my
career, to score the winning goal in a
European final. It's the dream of any
player. All the players, the staff and
supporters deserve this trophy".
Cyril 16 May, 2013
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Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/blogspot/Jxiis/~3/N9KkzqJeOYk/lampard-hints-at-new-deal-after-europa.html
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