Lampard is in need of leaders for his mission impossible

Hosts must step up to repeat the special’ European nights of manager’s playing days

- Nizaar Kinsella

TONIGHT is a final roll of the dice for Chelsea and a chance for Frank Lampard to add to his legend at Stamford Bridge.

Trailing 2-0 from the first leg last week, few give the Blues a chance of mounting a comeback against Champions League kings Real Madrid and saving their season.

Three straight defeats since Lampard took over as caretaker managers means their preparation could not have been much worse.

But, in a campaign that Todd Boehly labelled "embarrassing" during a dressing-room speech to the players on Saturday, European nights have offered Chelsea some salvation.

Graham Potter's biggest wins came against Borussia Dortmund, AC Milan and RB Salzburg, and Lampard was part of some famous comebacks as a Blues player.

He referenced their turnaround against Napoli in 2012, when they came back from 3-1 down in the first leg on their way to winning the Champions League under Roberto Di Matteo, who had just replaced Andre Villas-Boas with the team on a dismal run.

Lampard scored a penalty that night and those moments, against all odds, are part of his legacy. Tonight, he wants his players to create another "special" night Stamford Bridge.