Frank Lampard "in awe" when facing Barcelona at Camp Nou

By Darren Plant, Senior Reporter | 08 February 2017

Former Chelsea midfielder Frank Lampard says that he was "in awe" of Barcelona when the Blues faced the Catalan giants at Camp Nou.

Former Chelsea midfielder Frank Lampard has revealed that coming up against Xavi and Andres Iniesta at Camp Nou represented his biggest test in football.

Lampard recently announced his retirement after an illustrious career which was mainly spent at Stamford Bridge, but the 106-cap England international has admitted that he was "in awe" of coming up against Barcelona's pass-masters when the Blues travelled to Spain.

The 38-year-old told Chelsea's matchday programme: "Facing Barcelona at the Nou Camp and going up against Xavi and Iniesta. Obviously [Lionel] Messi is the best player in the world, but in midfield you're playing against those two on a massive pitch.

"That was the only 'in awe# moment for me, the only team I went into the game thinking, 'Oh God, here we go#.

"I didn't feel like that when we played them at the Bridge because I always believed we could get to them – it's tighter, we got closer to them, stopped them playing. But at their place they opened up and they were brilliant."

On his last visit to Camp Nou, Lampard helped 10-man Chelsea overcome Barcelona to reach the 2012 Champions League final.