Mateo Kovacic has hailed "exceptional" Chelsea manager Frank Lampard for his impact at the club, revealing that he found training under former boss Maurizio Sarri monotonous.
The Croatian midfielder made his loan deal from Real Madrid permanent last summer and has featured in all but three Premier League games so far this season - opening his Chelsea account along the way.
Kovacic was signed from Madrid by Sarri, who left the club after one season after neither players nor supporters really got on board with his methods and style of play.
A number of players have since noted how Lampard has lifted the mood around west London with his enthusiasm as a young manager and instant connection with the fanbase going a long way to creating an atmosphere within which a young side can thrive.
And Chelsea's all-time top goal scorer has also lifted things in training too, doing away with Sarri's dull and repetitive plans.
"I came to Chelsea under Sarri, but I must say that Lampard is an exceptional manager," Kovacic told FourFourTwo. "He has kept the character he had as a player in his personality as a coach, which has inspired all of us.
"He commits himself with everything he’s got. Training is always challenging and different from last season.
"That’s probably the main difference between Lampard and Sarri, who made the concept of training quite monotonous. There were a lot of similar training sessions with a focus on tactical preparation."
Kovacic was part of the Real Madrid squad which won three consecutive Champions League titles under Zinedine Zidane and the 25-year-old can see comparisons between the two managers.
He said: "Zidane was similar to the way Frank Lampard is as a coach, and their approaches really suit me."
