Frank Lampard today said he would not begrudge his former manager José Mourinho the welcome of a homecoming hero when he returns to Stamford Bridge with Internazionale in three weeks' time.

The Chelsea midfielder hears only cat-calls when he faces his old team West Ham United at Upton Park but the reaction to Mourinho at Stamford Bridge will be rather different for the second leg of the Champions League last-16 fixture. Inter edged the first-leg 2-1 in Milan last night.

"I'm sure it will be a major sideshow and, quite rightly, he [Mourinho] will get a fantastic reception," said Lampard of the manager who won five trophies during his time in charge of Chelsea from 2004 to 2007.

"It's a great story. He is the most successful manager in our history and fans will want to pay their respects to him. I've seen that warmth when managers go back and when players go back. It's nice and good to see that sort of respect from both sides. Our fans will give him a great reception but, when the game starts, they will want to win. It's simple."

Chelsea's hopes of progress have not ended in the defeat at San Siro. They can take heart not only from their away goal but the nature of their performance. It has further fired the belief which has built within the squad that this can be a special season under Carlo Ancelotti. His team are top of the Premier League and also into the quarter-finals of the FA Cup.

"We have always thought we can win the Champions League, the Premier League and the FA Cup as well," said Mikel John Obi. "Every game we play, we go in to win. In a club like this we have ambition. We want to win everything.

"If you are at Chelsea, this is what you've got to believe. If you don't believe that, you can't play for this club."

Lampard was more circumspect: "I think it would be naive to say we were the favourites because Inter could come and score at our place. So I would say it's 50-50.

"We had a lot of possession in the first leg and we were the stronger team but it might suit them to play on the counter-attack more, that's their style. It might suit them if we over-attack, so there are a lot of elements to come."

Mourinho, as ever, will travel with confidence to London. "Once we put our foot in the first second of the game, we are in the quarter-finals," he said. "Mentally the lead is an advantage.

"I expect to be very well welcomed by the Chelsea fans. They know how much I gave them. If I didn't give more, it was because I wasn't able to give more.

"They know I want Inter to be the winner but they also know that, if Inter is not the winner of this tie, then I want Chelsea to go and go and go and succeed."