Frank Lampard insists Chelsea will be "ready for the challenge" of facing Bayern Munich
Frank Lampard says Chelsea should be confident that they can beat Bayern Munich in the Champions League round of 16.
The Premier League side were paired with the Bundesliga champions in Monday's draw, in what will be a repeat of the 2012 Champions League final.
Chelsea triumphed against the odds on that occasion, but Lampard is anticipating a tough tie when the two teams lock horns after Christmas.
"This level of football, this level of Champions League knockout stage is a level of focus you need, absolute throughout both games," Lampard told Chelsea's website.
"Tiny moments in a game like this can be so crucial. Of course we want to be at our best going into the game, hopefully in good form, but the concentration levels and how we approach it will be maybe the deciding factor.
"Because I think we should be confident that we can beat Bayern Munich but understand that they are very strong.
"[It's] a tough draw, but a good draw. I think that we knew that when you get through the group stages you are generally in with some big teams.
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"We are certainly got one. We have history with them, of course, but this will be a tie in itself that will be very testing, over two games. But we’ll be ready for the challenge."
"We had some games [against Bayern] before the [2012] Champions League final, 2005 maybe, here at the Bridge.
"I scored two and we put in a really good performance. Obviously the night in Munich is the defining night in my career, all our careers in that era and the fans. A very special night for us and a lovely memory.
"So I am sure the fans who can travel there, who obviously know the game well, can have a nice feeling from that. But it will be very different and very taxing."
Chelsea will look to return to winning ways following Saturday's loss to Bournemouth when they face Tottenham this weekend.
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Greg Lea is a freelance football journalist who's filled in wherever FourFourTwo needs him since 2014. He became a Crystal Palace fan after watching a 1-0 loss to Port Vale in 1998, and once got on the scoresheet in a primary school game against Wilfried Zaha's Whitehorse Manor (an own goal in an 8-0 defeat).
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