Chelsea Football Club News

• Nickname:Blues
• Founded:1905
• Manager:Roberto Di Matteo

• Ground:Stamford Bridge
• Capacity:42,440

Lampard mother loses fight

24 Apr 2008 - 14:55:36

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Chelsea midfielder Frank Lampard will be absent for the foreseeable future after his ill mother lost her fight for life on Thursday afternoon.

The England midfielder returned to action in Tuesday's 1-1 Champions League semi-final first leg draw with Liverpool at Anfield after an improvement in the condition of his mother, Pat.

Lampard had missed the previous two games to be at her bedside after she was hospitalised with pneumonia last week.

However, despite a reported improvement in her condition in midweek, she took a turn for the worse on Wednesday and Lampard returned to hospital.

The 29-year-old had spoken of being in the midst of the hardest period of his life.

"It is with great sadness that we have to inform you that Pat Lampard passed away this afternoon," read a statement from the player's representatives.

"Frank would like to acknowledge and say thank you for the compassion shown to him by the manager Avram Grant and all the staff at Chelsea Football Club during what has been a terribly traumatic period for him and his family.

"Frank and his family would also like to thank all the people that have been inundating them with messages of support."