Lampard pushed him to the end of Chelsea's offensive food chain, and he was already thinking of going beyond any team that would allow him to play. But then the double-conqueror scored the full advantage of Abraham's injury and Bachway's weakness to return to business. • Tonight he waits for Bayern Munich in the eighth The Champions Finals

• Giro celebrates in front of Tottenham on Saturday. revived

  Photo:

  Reuters

He is the pioneer of the reigning world champion, scoring six goals in qualifying for Euro 2020, and last season finished as the European League goals scorer with 11 conquests, which is exactly his average of goals for one Premier League season since arriving in England in 2013. There is no evidence that Olivier Giro is an excellent striker and double-conqueror, but by Saturday, Frank Lampard seemed unconvinced.

Until the game against Tottenham, the 33-year-old Frenchman gave the 33-year-old Frenchman just twice the league jersey, and in the Champions League he defeated him in 17 minutes against Valencia. In the two local trophies, he completely ignored his existence.

Giro was third in the pioneers' rotation, after Tammy Abraham and Michie Batchway, at the very bottom of the offensive food chain. In front of the Roosters, he suddenly leapt to the top of the list, using the rare opportunity to show what he knew. An excellent 74 minutes, which included the first goal of the season in a 1: 2 victory, upgraded his status wonders, so much so that he is unlikely to open tonight (Tuesday, 10 p.m.) in the Blues lineup in the eighth Champions League final against Bayern Munich.

Not only was Giro not planning to open tonight's game at Stamford Bridge, he wasn't planning on being in that area of ​​London at all. "I was very close to leaving," he told the Daily Mail last week, "from mid-December to the end of January I was really imprisoned between two camps."

While one camp was the side of the team he joined in January 2018, the other camp was every other destination that would give him minutes of play. As summer 2020 awaits Euro 2020 and competition for a place on the roster of the French national team is harder than a 100-meter run in Jamaica, the striker was looking for an escape route. According to media reports, there were fumbles, but it was Chelsea who did not release. The club leaders were impressed with Giro's professionalism and willingness, and decided to leave it as needed. "As soon as February 1 came, I turned 100% of myself in Chelsea's favor," the Frenchman said with professionalism and willingness. "My goal is to help the team and play as much as possible to reach the European Championships."

Giro's desires became reality only because Lampard had no choice. The manager would have preferred Tammy Abraham, but he had an ankle injury and needed some rest. He gave Bachway the Englishman's place, but the Belgian kicked his credit out in a loss to Manchester United. So it happened that three days before the encounter with Bayern, in a direct battle for fourth place against Tottenham, Giro first opened the lineup since November.

"He was always patient"

If there was any rust, the French quickly removed it. He showed strength, speed, sharpness, scored the first goal, got involved in the second and raised the question of why he was hardly a partner in the Chelsea games this season. "He brings different things from Tammy and Michie, and we have to adapt to that," Lumpard explained, "but as I said in January, thanks to his wonderful nature he can provide such games as soon as he gets the chance."

It was Abraham's injuries and Batchway's ability that gave Giro an opportunity at the most important time of the season, but to his credit he was said to have earned it. "He was always tolerant, did not complain, remained humble and worked hard," Antonio Rudiger said yesterday. Now, thanks to the character he demonstrated when he was outside and the ability he displayed when he walked in, Giro forces Lampard to put him deep into the equation for the Bavarians' visit. In their disappearance, the French became a possible solution.