After Lampard and Luiz clashed in Moscow, how did the players react on the flight home? Sportsmail's inside look
By MATT BARLOW
Frank Lampard and David Luiz had a row during Chelsea's away game at Rubin Kazan. Sportsmail'sMatt Barlow was on the flight back from Moscow with the team and observed them on the trip back.
Argument: Frank Lampard and David Luiz had a row at the end of the game
Tensions had cleared by the time Chelsea arrived at Moscow’s Sheremetyevo Airport dressed down in black tracksuits for their three-and-a-half hour flight back to Gatwick.
Frank Lampard sat with team-mates, smiling and chatting as their waited for the gate to open, he even stepped in to prevent a row from escalating between club officials and airport staff who were trying to take photographs of the players.
David Luiz trailed in at the back of the group, beanie hat pulled over his frizzy hair, languid as ever, browsing through a duty free shop, pulling his luggage behind him.
Luiz settled into his leather business class seat in the Brazilian row next to Oscar, with Ramires across the aisle and Lampard sat beside John Terry. Nearby Marko Marin and Yossi Benayoun engaged in a game of backgammon. Most players disappeared beneath their giant headphones.
Calmed down: By the time he was on the aeroplane Luiz was his languid self
Terry sat on the floor of the plane as it sped west, answering interview questions for the club website as Rafa Benitez stood nearby briefing newspaper reporters ahead of the FA Cup semi-final.
Benitez had requested a large, spacious aircraft for the trip to allow his players to stretch out, to help their recovery.
The interim manager was not certainly concerned by the heated on-field exchange between Lampard and Luiz. These things happen in a competitive environment, that tends to be the view of most coaches and players.
This Chelsea squad have circled the world together in a season which could will reach 70 games if they win their semi-finals in the Europa League and the FA Cup.
Speedy recovery: The Chelsea players were back in training on Friday morning
Public appearance: Frank Lampard was spotted on the training ground just hours after his bust-up
Fluidity: Oscar and Juan Mata pass he ball around
Relax: Rafael Benitez was not in the least concerned by the row
True, they do so in five-star luxury but there are stresses and strains at the top level of football combined with strong personalities in this particular squad. Sometimes personalities clash and they erupt.
It happened in the Luzhniki Stadium where Chelsea were guilty of complacency, losing the game but winning the quarter-final against Rubin Kazan on a plastic pitch inside a largely empty arena.
For those looking on, the Lampard-Luiz tiff may have appeared to be a flashpoint with the added resonance of the old guard clashing with the new - but inside the camp professional minds did not dwell on it and were soon turning to Wembley and Manchester City.
Back to business: Professional minds like Lampard and Luiz will not let this affect the team
Most clubs fly straight back through the night after European away games because many players find it difficult to sleep after the adrenalin of a match.
The Titan Airways Boeing 757 carrying Chelsea back from Russia touched down at about 2am and Chelsea players were expected to report to their Surrey HQ a few hours later: a light warm-down session, ice-baths and massages for those who played and a more physical work-out for those who did not play, or came on late.
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