Chelsea seek FA and European cup double

One moment Frank Lampard and Didier Drogba are being consigned to history, the next they are making it. The old canard that football is no country for old men is being trampled on by thirtysomethings like Lampard and Drogba, who charge out at Wembley today, determined to make their mark on Liverpool, so updating the record books with a fourth FA Cup in six years. In a fortnight, Chelsea take on Bayern Munich for the Champions League.

Chelsea are perceived as arrivistes by Liverpool supporters, who will fill the Wembley air with the chant of
"---- off, Chelsea FC, you ain't got no history. Five European Cups, 18 leagues, that's what we call history." Hardly Lennon and McCartney but the song is available as a ringtone.

"That's fans' banter,'' smiled Lampard yesterday, talking after training at Cobham. "They deserve the right to crow about their own. Liverpool should be very happy with their history and proud of it but Chelsea fans should walk tall and have pride in what we have done, not just recently but over decades and decades. We are trying to create history this season.

"An edge was created in the Champions League when we played them every year. Big players like Steven Gerrard and Jamie Carragher are still there and they always want to win, always want to go toe to toe with you and it will be no different in the Cup final. It makes for a passionate game that we all want to see."

From Wembley to Munich, England's garden to the Englischer Garten and from Gerrard to the Germans. Lampard is conscious of how he walks a path that could lead to the land of legends.

"I think about it every night, I really do. I've never been more aware about what a situation like this means, tomorrow, in two weeks. The FA Cup final is a game you always want to win, and it's a massive game against a big team. That Champions League is something I'm desperate to win.''

Gerrard blocks his journey. So does Bayern's Bastian Schweinsteiger. Lampard's mind strayed forward to Munich and then slid back to Bloemfontein when Schweinsteiger and his Germany team-mates like Philipp Lahm defeated England.

"It's not unfinished business, really, just relishing the challenge of having to play against them again," he said. "I've got loads of respect for Schweinsteiger. I've been singing his praises for years behind the scenes about what a top player he is. I love that German attitude, the way they approach their football and the determination they have. You saw that in their game at Real Madrid, digging that result out against all odds.

"I swapped shirts with Schweinsteiger in Bloemfontein and we had a little chat. Very respectful. I don't remember them gloating but we ducked our heads down the tunnel very quick."

Frustration remained over that shot past Manuel Neuer, now Bayern's keeper, that crossed the line but was not given. "It will always be there in my memory bank and a disappointment because I felt it would have changed the game for us.'' He has even "visualised'' beating Neuer with a penalty.

Like Lampard, Drogba has been written off at times this season. Now he is flying again, relishing the thought of a stadium where he scores so often. "Maybe it's our lucky stadium,'' Drogba said of Wembley.

"I haven't been to Maracana, but Wembley is, for me, the most famous one. It's England. When I was younger I watched the Cup finals at home and my dream was to play at the old Wembley. I saw Eric Cantona, one of my favourite players, score against Liverpool in 1996.''

When Drogba arrived in England, he knew he had to "adapt to the physical condition of the other players and the pace of the game" so he remodelled his game on Alan Shearer's, imposing himself on defenders.

"I had the chance to play against him in the Uefa Cup semi-final in my last year at Marseille and he was an example for me,'' said Drogba. "All the Marseille defenders said how difficult it was to mark him."

Drogba finds the lone-striker duties demanding. "It's not a role I really enjoy, because playing one against two defenders is very difficult. Some people don't understand that, and that's sometimes why I have some criticism. I'd prefer to play with two strikers up there so it's one on one with the defenders."

He hopes it will not be his last match at Wembley. "People forget I started football late. At a high level, I only really started when I was 25 or 26, so I feel fresh. I may be 34, but I've still got some kilometres in my legs."

Ditto Lampard. "Whenever I see Ryan Giggs or Paul Scholes put in a performance or score a goal, I think, 'Thank God for that because it shows people you can do it even at their ages','' said the 33 year-old. "I'm sure Giggs will tell you when he was 33 he was written off by someone in the press or the fans. He comes back even stronger.

"I feel as fit as 10 years ago and I've got more know-how. I've got another year on my contract and I want to see it out."

Roberto Di Matteo's future is also being debated and the overwhelming view from the Bridge dressing room is for the interim head coach to be given the post full-time. "His man-management has been fantastic,'' said John Obi Mikel. "He is very similar to the way Hiddink and Mourinho did the job."

The man himself was his usual calm self yesterday, the last player to score in an FA Cup final at the old Wembley preferring to join in the trips down memory lane. "I'd watch the FA Cup final when I was growing up,'' said Di Matteo. "What struck me the most was England had this reputation for bad weather, but every time the Cup final was on it was a sunny day. I couldn't figure that out!"

He cannot wait for today. "You get that adrenalin rush, the butterflies in your belly.'' That feeling of history in the making.