‘They are…’ – Frank Lampard sends message to Sunderland ahead of Championship play-off semi-final
Frank Lampard says Coventry City must be ready to face the “best version” of Sunderland when the two sides meet in the Championship play-off semi-finals.
The Sky Blues will welcome the Black Cats to the Coventry Building Society Arena this Friday in the Championship play-off semi-final for the first leg of a high-stakes showdown, with both clubs eyeing a route to Wembley and promotion to the Premier League.
Sunderland head into the tie on the back of a difficult run of form, having lost their last five matches, but Lampard insists his side must not be lulled into any false sense of security. “We have to expect the best version of Sunderland,” the Coventry head coach told Sky Sports. “They are there because they were so good in the first half of the season.”
While Sunderland struggled to maintain their early momentum, Lampard’s Coventry side enjoyed a strong finish to the campaign — sealing fifth place in the table with a 2-0 win over Middlesbrough on the final day. “It’s great for the club, from where we’ve come from,” Lampard added. “You felt the build-up through the winning run.”
With the regular season now behind them, Lampard says he’s relishing the opportunity to regroup and prepare for the challenge ahead. “It’s going to be a great challenge, it’s been a long week, I’m pleased to take a breath after that.”
The second leg of the semi-final will take place at the Stadium of Light next week, with a Wembley final on the line for the winner.
Régis Le Bris issues message to Sunderland fans
Régis Le Bris has backed his Sunderland side to bounce back in the Championship play-off semi-finals despite ending the regular season with a fifth straight defeat.
The Black Cats were beaten 1-0 by Queens Park Rangers at the Stadium of Light in a lacklustre display where they again struggled to create meaningful chances or test the opposition goalkeeper. Despite the poor run, Le Bris remains confident his team will be prepared for their upcoming clash with Coventry City, who secured fifth place with a 2-0 victory over Middlesbrough at the Ricoh Arena.
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Asked what he would say to fans feeling pessimistic about Sunderland’s play-off hopes, Le Bris responded: “I understand, but we have to remember where we were one season before. This team has shown so many qualities this season, it doesn’t disappear like that [clicks fingers]. It has been a really strange period because we secured this place so early, and it was clear that this squad, the youngest in the league with a small core, deserved to recover.
“We disturbed the flow of the squad—its rhythm and its references—so that they could recover and so that we could test some new foundations. But in the end, we know our foundations as a team. We know what works and what is positive for us, we know in our heads maybe what options could be good for us in the games. We are clear on our foundations, and I think at that level, we are always on the edge; it’s not unusual. The players are ready to react.”
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