Chelsea boss Frank Lampard has explained why left Ross Barkley out of the travelling party for Champions League clash against Valencia, criticizing the midfielder for “a lack of professionalism” after he was pictured shirtless in a nightclub.

The 25-year-old has been struggling with an ankle injury.

And, Lampard says he must “show his reactions on the pitch” amid the controversy surrounding his Chelsea career.

“I certainly don’t hold anything against my players,” Lampard said.

“There are two separate issues, one is the headlines this week, Ross knows how I felt about the first headline.

“I backed him then and I still back him now but he showed a moment of a lack of professionalism as far as I’m concerned.

“It’s not something that I want to be a pure dictator about and come down hard on, because I also understand all my players are humans and have lives and I don’t think it’s a terrible thing that he’s done.

“I like Ross, he’s certainly one of my players. He has had an injury, he’s still kind of carrying an injury, there’s a bit of pain on shooting so he just has to work his way back in, in terms of the fitness thing, and train well.”