Frank Lampard has challenged his Chelsea players to prove that they belong in the Champions League this season.
After finishing third in last season's Premier League and winning the Europa League, the Blues go into tomorrow's (Thursday's) draw as a top seed.
The Blues will discover their fate in Monaco, where they could still face the likes of Real and Atletico Madrid or Inter Milan in order to get through the knockout stages.
Many are not expecting Chelsea to succeed in the competition this year, having lost their best player in Eden Hazard in the summer and having a transfer ban over the course of the latest window.
However, even though Lampard knows it will be difficult, he believes his players can prove that they belong with the big boys and take up the challenge.
"Yeah it’s important for us [to be in the competition], it’s where we want to be. It gets tougher every year, coming third last year and winning the Europa League gets them that status. It is where we want to be," Lampard said.
"I had some great nights in it, great moments and great memories. Talking about the players, they want to play in it and show what we are about.
"It is nice that we are there. It means that we need to keep our league performances up now to be there next year and tackle it head on. It is the greatest club competition in football and I was lucky enough to win it once. I’m looking forward to working in it as a manager.
"I think the Premier League is so strong and that is clear when you have two teams [in the final]. Manchester City are clearly absolutely a top team in world football.
"I think the English teams, we are strong at the moment and I hope that continues, because I think that is great for us in England and the Premier League, we’re happy to do that.
"It is a big challenge for us, a big challenge for us as a team and we know that with the difficulties of the ban and where we’re at, but it shouldn't take out the great challenge that it is to try to do well in it."
