• Three teams level on points at top of
Champions League group• Lampard has left Ross Barkley at home for disciplinary reasonsFrank Lampard has said that
Chelsea are effectively in a knockout situation in their Champions League group and has admitted that his team will struggle to reach the last 16 if they lose to Valencia this evening.
Group H is finely balanced with two games remaining, with the top three teams level on seven points, and Chelsea’s superior head-to-head record against Ajax means they will qualify for the next round with a win at the Mestalla. However Valencia, who were victorious when they faced Lampard’s side at Stamford Bridge in September, will be through if they win. With Ajax expected to win at Lille on Wednesday, defeat would leave Chelsea at risk of dropping into the Europa League.