These stories are samples pulled from external media sources. They do not represent the views or position of Chelsea Football Club.

Lampard shares advice with rugby side

Paul Gustard, the head of rugby at English Premiership side Harlequins, has received advice from Frank Lampard on playing competitive matches behind closed doors, The Mirror reports.

Harlequins’ season is set to resume next month after a five-month stoppage due to the coronavirus pandemic and Gustard is keen to find out how best to prepare his team for the restart as they look to get into contention for a spot in the play-offs.

Having met Lampard during a coaching course, he decided to pick the brains of the Chelsea boss who has steered the Blues to seven wins in nine games since the resumption of the football season last month.

‘I wanted to know how his players responded, how they found playing in empty stadiums. Because the unknown can lead to uncertainty,’ Gustard explained.

‘Our players are going to go into an environment which they probably have not experienced since they have been in school - where there is no crowd, nobody there. That's what I've been speaking to Frank Lampard about.’

According to Gustard, Lampard advised him on the importance of self-driven players in the team.

‘What you want are the people who are most intrinsically driven to compete,’ he added.

‘The likes of [Harlequins players] Mike Brown and Chris Robshaw have never shirked the ability to compete - those are the personality types you want when there is no one driving you from outside - mum, dad, girlfriend, mates, crowd.’

Sutton believes Lampard has exceeded expectation

Former Chelsea striker Chris Sutton has said Frank Lampard has delivered ‘miracle stuff’ by leading the Blues to the FA Cup final and a challenge for a top-four spot in his first season as a Premier League head coach, Goal.com reports.

Sutton was impressed by the tactical adjustments in our 3-1 win over Manchester United in the FA Cup semi-finals on Sunday and feels Lampard deserves credit for exceeding expectation in his first season in charge of the Blues.

‘Chelsea went with a back three, matched up, and Manchester United really didn’t lay a glove on Chelsea,’ said Sutton to BBC Radio 5 Live.

‘I think we have to give Frank credit, in a very trying season. You don’t have to think back too far to what he took over, this was a club who had a transfer embargo on them - he couldn’t bring players in.

‘Was the expectation there as there has been under the Abramovich regime to go and challenge for a title? No, I don’t think there was, but there was still pressure.

‘At the start of the season, with everything being equal, we would say that if Frank Lampard got this Chelsea team into a Champions League spot – that is an unbelievable job. If he can add an FA Cup to this as well, that is miracle stuff in his first season.’

Remy’s Serie A move in jeopardy

According to The Sun, Loic Remy’s potential move to Italian side Benevento is in doubt after the former Chelsea striker reportedly failed a medical.

Remy, who was a free agent after spending the past two seasons at French side Lille, recently agreed a deal with the Italian club which will play in Serie A next season after winning promotion from the second tier.

However, the move may have fallen through after he was reported to have failed two medicals for unknown reasons.

It is not the first time that a move for the 33-year-old has fallen through for medical reasons. In 2014, he was reported to have failed a medical with Liverpool due to heart complications

However, he joined Chelsea later that year and scored seven goals in 19 games to help us win the Premier League title.