Ancelotti backs Lampard, rules himself out of Chelsea return

Real Madrid head coach Carlo Ancelotti backed Frank Lampard to do well as manager of his former side Chelsea and ruled himself out of a return to the Premier League club.

Ancelotti guided Chelsea to the Premier League and FA Cup double in 2009-10.

Chelsea has dropped to 11th in the Premier League after a run of poor results, and have also been knocked out of the FA Cup and League Cup, despite spending almost 300 million pounds ($373 million) on new players in January.

"I feel sad (looking at Chelsea's position in the table). I have a fantastic memory of this club, of the people that are still working there. I'm a supporter of Chelsea, because I spent two years there," Ancelotti told reporters on Monday.

"Will I go back (as coach)? No, I hope Lampard will be able to do a fantastic job with them... Lampard has been a great player who I coached for two years.

"He has been here for a week, but he will do well in the time he is at Chelsea."