Chelsea coach Frank Lampard has said Ross Barkley remains the club’s penalty taker despite missing one in their Champions League loss to Valencia, Concise News reports.
The Blues lost 1-0 at home to Valencia in their Champions League opener on Tuesday at Stamford Bridge.
Barkley took the spot-kick ahead of Willian and Jorginho – teammates assumed to be the club’s first-choice takers – incurring the wrath of Chelsea fans.
But Lampard has stoutly defended the Englishman, reiterating that he is the Premier League side’s first choice spot-kick taker.
According to Lampard, Barkley has had that position since the club’s pre-season and will maintain that whenever he is on the pitch.
“Ross has been the penalty taker in pre-season and scored a couple. He has been when he started,” Lampard said.
“He was when he came on today and he missed it. That is the clear story. I don’t know what the conversation was, but Jorginho and Willian were the takers on the pitch. When Ross comes on he becomes the penalty taker.”
Speaking further, the coach noted that the defeat was a bitter pill for the Blues as they returned to Europe’s elite club competition.
He said: “I think we created enough in the game. Not lots of fantastic chances, but good chances.
“Obviously a penalty and we conceded from the one shot on target, so it was a harsh lesson in Champions League football – a game we played pretty well in and we lose it. The good news is we have five games left in the group.”
Chelsea will take on French Ligue 1 side Lille in matchday 2 of the competition but will this weekend square off against Liverpool in the domestic league.
