EXCLUSIVE: Battle at the Bridge! Rebel Frank won't allow AVB to force him out

Chelsea outcast Frank Lampard will resist Andre Villas-Boas' attempts to force him out of the club because of a £1.5million
loyalty bonus in his contract.

As the dressing room disharmony deepened, with defender Branislav Ivanovic calling for warring factions to unite behind manager Villas-Boas,
Sportsmail
can reveal details of Lampard's extravagant bonus.

The 33-year-old negotiated the payment - to be paid at the end of his deal in June 2013 - when he signed a £130,000-a-week contract in 2008.

Lampard was one of three high-profile players axed by Villas-Boas for the Champions League tie against Napoli, which Chelsea lost 3-1.

Ashley Cole and Michael Essien were also dropped in a move widely interpreted as exposing the players Villas-Boas has publicly admitted are 'not with him'.

Club owner Roman Abramovich resisted a quick firing after Tuesday's defeat in Naples but one source said he is 'not a happy man'.

Rafa Benitez has been sounded out as a possible temporary replacement.

Villas-Boas did not dispute reports of a confrontation with Cole before the game in Italy, when the England left back is alleged to have accused the manager of hindering the team with his tactics.

Lampard also sought an explanation for his omission on Tuesday but Ivanovic issued a plea to his team-mates to put aside their differences with
Villas-Boas and pull together to save their season.

'Everybody has to believe still and try to do the right things,' said the Serbian defender. 'This is more about Chelsea. That
is more important than the relationship between managers and players.

'The manager who decides who plays is doing his job. We have to do our job. Everyone has to try to make this position better because we have a lot of things wrong. But this is
Chelsea. We have to solve these things.

'For me, this is the hardest moment in my four years here. We didn't win a lot of games and the confidence is not in the best way. But it is only by working hard and trying to do things well, keep going and be positive.'

Chelsea accepted Lampard's bonus deal in the 2008 contract talks because he argued it would cost the club millions to replace him.

At the time, former Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho wanted to take the midfielder to Inter Milan, but instead Lampard signed the most lucrative deal of his career.

The loyalty bonus was based on Lampard's long service and his existing deal, at the time worth £100,000 a week, was running down.

Lampard will pick up the bonus only if he sees out the five-year deal.