Frank Lampard insists he is behind Ross Barkley after the Chelsea midfielder was filmed partying topless in Dubai over the international break.

The England international is also recovering from an ankle injury, which will cause him to miss Wednesday's Champions League meeting with Valencia.

"There are two separate issues," Lampard said to a press conference before facing Valencia. "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 because I understand that all my players are humans and have lives.

"I don't police every moment of their lives and I don't think it's a terrible thing that he has done.

"Ross has had an injury and he's still kind of carrying the injury, feeling a bit of pain when shooting, so he just has to work his way back in in terms of the fitness, train well. I certainly don't hold anything against my players. I like Ross, he's certainly one of my players.

"It's something he now needs to show all his reactions on the pitch."