The Blues face United twice in the next week in a quarter-final which is a repeat of their agonising final defeat in Moscow three years ago.

Tomorrow's first leg will be Lampard's 500th Chelsea appearance and there is no doubt which was his most painful game for the club.

But the 32-year-old was adamant tonight that he was too old to bear a grudge over events of May 2008.

"I really promise you, revenge certainly isn't in our minds," said the midfielder, who scored the equaliser in a final which Chelsea lost on penalties.

"When you play for a long period of time, as I have here, you see the ups and downs. You collect them.

"You don't any feel thoughts of revenge or anything against anyone.

"You understand you can't always be successful and win."

Lampard has certainly learnt that the hard way, having also suffered four semi-final defeats in the past seven years.

Add to that several calamities with England and the midfielder has plenty of disappointments to add to the many trophies he has won.

"There have been a few painful ones, with England as well," he said.

"They're obviously horrible feelings."

Billionaire owner Roman Abramovich has also learnt realising his long-held dream of turning Chelsea into champions of Europe is not as easy as he may have thought.

Lampard said: "I think we've given him some very good times.

"And I know the owner has appreciated it from how he's enjoyed them with us when we've won titles and cups.

"But the Champions League's a huge thing.

"I'm sure the owner would be very pleased or us to win it.

"But at the same time, he doesn't come in every day and knock our door down, saying, 'Why have I not won this yet?'

"He understands it's the most difficult competition in football."

Lampard claimed it was equally important for the players not to become obsessed by the one major trophy that has eluded them.

"We've been so close and every year we've got close, people talk about it even more," he said.

"They talk about the burden, the fate, and the destiny of the occasion.

"We try not to think about it like that because that can weigh you down.

"Every year it almost gets tougher."

He added: "There's nothing worse than the feeling of losing a Champions League final and semi-finals in different circumstances.

"There's no point being negative and crying about them - they're all experiences.

"We hope that one day we'll have one huge positive experience that will make all the other ones easily forgotten."

Lampard was eager to play down the significance of his personal milestone tomorrow, which sees him become only the fourth Chelsea player to play 500 games for the club.

"I never expected to play 500 games here when I came here, cramming them in to 10 years," the former West Ham star said.

"But it's not the main thing for me tomorrow.

"It'll give me an extra boost going out with the confidence of the milestone.

"But it's too big a game to think about it being 500th game.

"I would have preferred it to have been against Stoke on Saturday and out the way.

"I'd like to carry on playing as long as I can. I'm not thinking of the end. Thirty two now is not what it was 10 years ago.

"Hopefully I can perform well into my thirties. The Giggses, Maldinis, Scholeses have all gone on and played well into their later 30s. I would love to be able to do that."

Chelsea could be facing an angry Wayne Rooney tomorrow if his two-match ban for his foul-mouthed goal celebration at West Ham on Saturday is upheld.

Lampard said: "It might spur him on a bit. I don't know.

"I know he's a competitive character.

"When you get headlines, positive or negative, it can spur you on in different ways.

"You can't know before the game how he is.

"I think he's competitive and that comes out in different ways.

"He's a fantastic player. I don't think the anger or the sedation - that's not the right word - makes a difference.

"He's a top player so he'll be a threat, regardless."