Former Chelsea star Graeme Le Saux took time out from a recent event to speak to chelseafc.com about a mouth-watering month ahead - plus the Blues' dramatic victory over Liverpool and the character shown by Frank Lampard in the shadow of bereavement.

Le Saux maintains a role with Chelsea Football Club, working as an ambassador for our corporate social responsibility programme. He was supporting the launch of the Tsu'Chu Biz scheme to encourage young people in London into university and on to business when he aired his views.

Having witnessed a remarkable Champions League semi-final and before that, a league win over Man United, Le Saux is confident for his former side in Moscow when the destiny of the biggest trophy in club football is decided, although he doesn't expect an easy ride.

'I thought Chelsea would win against Liverpool and I have the same feeling for the final,' he explains.

'The likes of Didier Drogba and Frank Lampard, if they are in form, will create Manchester United a lot of problems.

'Equally, Manchester United are a fantastic team as well. There will be players on that pitch who can change a game and it will only take one of them to make something happen.'

After watching our semi-final victory, Le Saux was as happy as any True Blue to see Chelsea progress to the final, but he does confess to a darker side to his past as he considers the win.

'I actually grew up as a Liverpool fan, purely because growing up in Jersey I used to watch Liverpool on the TV,' he admits.

'Kenny Dalglish is one of my boyhood heroes and I think any football fan of my age would appreciate Liverpool and the success they had.

'They have had a resurgence over the last few years. They have lacked consistency in the league but they have done well in the Champions League which having beaten Chelsea in two semi-finals, might have suggested the last result would go their way as well.

'But they way Chelsea played was phenomenal. They really took the game to Liverpool and Drogba was on incredible form.

'Liverpool were always going to have a spell when they caused Chelsea problems but we managed to soak up that pressure, every player had superb involvement, right from Petr Cech all the way to Didier Drogba.'

Needless to say, Frank Lampard's immense contribution was also appreciated by his former team-mate. Having himself also lost his mother at an early age, Le Saux could empathise with emotions Lampard might have been experiencing on the night and over the past few weeks.

'Ultimately you learn from an experience like that. I learnt a lot and it changed me a lot when I lost my mum,' explained Le Saux, whose mother died when he was 13-years-old.

'I think against Liverpool in particular, it was a case of Frank taking control over his own destiny, thinking "right I have been through so much over the last few weeks and now is my chance to pay a tribute".

'That says everything about his relationship with her and he will be a stronger person for it eventually - but it's like everything, it takes time.

'Over time Frank will take comfort from the fact he had a fantastic relationship with his mum and still does with his dad. They are a very close family and they have supported each other.'

The former England international feels Chelsea's previous win against Manchester United helped the side's performance last Wednesday night.

'The team played with such spirit on that Saturday, they played at another level, a different tempo.

'They just looked like they had that incredible passion for winning. They went beyond the norm and they took that into the Liverpool game, so that Saturday's performance was very important.'

Before leaving Stamford Bridge is 2003, Le Saux played a part in domestic and European success, but he appreciates the club has kicked on rapidly since and understands why fans are so proud of the achievements.

'From the mid-90s the club had been gradually getting better and better, but it took that extra impetus that Roman brought in, and the structure he was able to put into club, to bring in top managers and top players to really take it to the next level.

'It is through that dedication that the club are benefiting. To be in the final of the Champions League and challenging for the title with Manchester United is a great achievement.'


A full range of 'Road to Moscow' merchandise is now available online or from the Megastore at Stamford Bridge.

Today saw the launch of a new-look True Blue Membership scheme for next season. Click here for details or to sign up.