Lampard-Ancelotti duel is a big storyline in Sunday’s Premier League play.
On Sunday, Chelsea–in their quest for a top-four finish in the Premier League–will play Everton side. It’s not only an important game in the standings, but it also reunites former player, Frank Lampard, now Chelsea coach, with Everton’s head man, Carlo Ancelotti, his former manager.
Chelsea’s Frank Lampard (photo, Beyond the Posts)
Their relationship dates back to the 2009/10 season when Ancelotti managed Chelsea and Lampard was in a crop of senior players together with John Terry, Didier Drogba, and Petr Cech, among others. And what a season it was–a double cup season it was–the league title and the FA cup. But success was shortlived. By the end of the second season, the club went trophy-less–even though Chelsea finished 2nd in the league behind Manchester United.
Since going their separate ways, these two figureheads have done relatively well. Lampard won more three trophies as a player–Champions League, FA Cup, and a UEFA Europa Cup. He then signed a one-year contract with Manchester City before going on to finish his career with two seasons with the MLS in New York.
Carlo Ancelotti (photo, CalcioMercato.com)
In his first managerial season, Lampard qualified for Derby County for the playoffs. Then Chelsea brought back Lampard–as manager this time. For his part, Ancelotti has gone on to manage some of the world’s biggest clubs, including Paris-Saint Germain, Bayern Munich, and, just recently, Everton. Over that period, he has amassed eight trophies, including at Ligue 1, Bundesliga, and in the 2013/14 Champions League.
On Sunday, a former student gets a chance to put his teacher to the test. Can he beat his master with his tricks? A phrase in the Northern Sotho language says it all: “O le hlagoletse leokana. A, e ka ba le tla boa la mo hlaba?”
