Soccer
PREVIEW: Chelsea midfielder Lampard to make Anfield return
By DPA
Apr 21, 2008, 10:58 GMT

London - Chelsea received a major boost ahead of Tuesday's Champions League semi-final first leg when it was confirmed that Frank Lampard will be back to play.

The England midfielder missed last week's 1-1 draw against Wigan and 1-0 win over Everton to be with his mother, who has been seriously ill with pneumonia.

Chelsea should also have striker Didier Drogba back after having fluid drained from his knee, while midfielder Michael Ballack is also expected to be available after recovering from a hamstring strain.

'For me, football is very important but there are things beyond football - family matters,' Grant said of Lampard's absence.

'We've missed him, we've missed Ballack, we've missed Didier.'

The return of the two midfielders is particularly crucial given the suspension of Michael Essien, who got Chelsea's goals in both games last week.

Drogba, though, remains an enigma. At his best, he offers a muscularity Nicolas Anelka cannot, and so is valuable as an outlet in a game like Tuesday's in which Chelsea can at times expect to find themselves under pressure.

But he has made no secret of his desire to leave, though, and has not been at his peak since returning from the knee injury that kept him out in December.

Drogba's discontent reflects the more general problems at the club, with rumours constantly circulating of disputes between players and coaching staff and coaching staff and the board.

Then there is the matter of manager Avram Grant's bizarre press-conference after last Thursday's victory over Everton, in which he gave one-word answers to a series of questions.

He later explained he was protesting about newspaper criticism, but it hardly added to the sense of harmony or confidence behind the scenes.

Midfielder Steven Gerrard, meanwhile, is a doubt for Liverpool after missing Saturday's 2-0 win over Fulham with a twisted neck.

'I will come up and tap him on the left shoulder and if he turns to face me without any pain we will know he can play,' said manager Rafa Benitez.

'The other day he wanted to play but I would have had to have played him on the left wing as he could only look to the right. With the neck, you never know.

'It is always dangerous but he has been a little bit better. We'll see if he can turn his head round and look the other way now.'

Liverpool too are beset by boardroom difficulties, and a distraction Tuesday could be the presence of co-owner Tom Hicks in the directors box.

He has been heavily critical of chief executive Rick Parry and is so unpopular among fans that his son was attacked in a Liverpool pub earlier this year.

This will be the clubs' 19th meeting in the past four years. Although Chelsea hold the edge, Liverpool have come out on top in the two Champions League semi-final meetings in that period.

The big difference this time is that Chelsea have the advantage of playing the second leg at home.