Chelsea sack Di Matteo after Juventus defeat

Chelsea sack Di Matteo after Juventus defeat

Nov 21, 2012 9:02:00 AM

The 42-year-old Italian manager has parted ways with the Champions League winners after a 3-0 defeat in Turin which left their chances of retaining the trophy in tatters

Chelsea have sacked Roberto Di Matteo following the 3-0 defeat to Juventus on Tuesday evening which left the club's prospects of qualifying for the Champions League knockout stages hanging by a thread.

The Blues needed a positive result in Turin to maintain hopes of defending their European crown, but Antonio Conte's side ran out comfortable winners with the English side looking likely to become the competition’s first ever holders to be eliminated at the group stage.

ROMAN'S RUINS

CHELSEA MANAGERS & THEIR REIGNS
AVRAM GRANT LUIZ FELIPE SCOLARI ROBERTO DI MATTEO	247 days 223 days 262 days

Chelsea have turned to Benitez after Pep Guardiola indicated that he wants to continue his sabbatical from football and not return to management before next summer.

Despite reports that there has been no contact between the European champions and Benitez, it is understood that a deal is being brokered for the Spaniard to be installed at Stamford Bridge imminently.

Discussions are centring on the length of the contract and the personal terms. Sources have told Goal.com that Benitez is willing to take the job until the end of the season and he is not expected to be given a long-term deal.

Chelsea expect that the 52-year-old will be in the dugout for Sunday afternoon’s Premier League match at home to Manchester City.

Benitez was in Abu Dhabi on Wednesday afternoon speaking at a coaching seminar before preparing to return to the United Kingdom, where he lives with his family in Merseyside, overnight.

Speaking to Sport360, the Spaniard declared that he has an interest in the vacant Chelsea manager’s job and hinted that his representatives had been busy in recent days.

	BOUNCING BACK?
17/2	Chelsea are 17/2 to beat Manchester City 2-1 with William Hill

Despite winning the Champions League and FA Cup after taking over from Andre Villas-Boas in March 2012, Di Matteo is the latest in a long list of managers who have failed to appease owner Abramovich.

After winning seven of his eight opening Premier League games this season, two points from the last four league matches and seven points from a possible 15 in the Champions League sealed the Italian's fate.

The statement continued: "The owner and the Board would like to thank Roberto for all he has done for the club since taking over in March. Roberto helped guide us to an historic Champions League victory and a seventh FA Cup. We will never forget the huge contribution he has made to this club's history and he will always be welcome at Stamford Bridge.

"The club will be making an announcement shortly regarding a new first team manager."

Sign up with William Hill for a free bet up to £25
Sign up with bet365 for a free bet up to £200
Sign up to Paddy Power for £250 in free bets
Sign up today with Coral and get a £50 FREE bet - no strings attached!
Sign up today with BetVictor and get a £25 FREE BET!

play

open

Live!

Real Madrid press conference - LIVE!

Catch the latest news from the Spanish capital as Jose Mourinho's time at Santiago Bernabeu nears its end. Get involved by sending us your thoughts via Twitter or Facebook! Hosted by Joe Wright.

6:50 PM BST

Of course, tonight's presser is provisionally concerned with the up-coming presidential elections at the club, which are a real source of intrigue in themselves - coaching appointments, player sales, mega-money offers for stars abroad... all of it could depend on whether Florentino Perez keeps the hotseat.

6:40 PM BST

Of course, don't forget to send us your thoughts on tonight - WHATEVER the outcome - via Facebook and Twitter. If Mourinho is set to leave, should he be kept until the season is over, or should Aitor Karanka take charge? What does it mean for the future of the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo? Lemme hear your views, people!

6:32 PM BST

Club president Florentino Perez will lead proceedings tonight, with the press conference due to start properly at 20:00 CET. We'll have all the latest from the event as well as all the fall-out from any potential important revelations (which, you feel, might just include something to do with the man below...)

6:30 PM BST

Good evening and welcome to Goal's LIVE! coverage of Real Madrid's press conference from the Spanish capital. Could this be the end of Jose Mourinho's tenure at the club? Stay with us for all the latest!

11:45 PM BST

And on that note I will leave you all! I won't be back next week for another run of the Goal LIVE blog for the Champions League final, but fear not as the legendary Mark Doyle will be entrusted with the role of taking you through all the twists and turns as they happen at Wembley!

I've been Livio Caferoglu on a night in which Chelsea have been crowned European title victors for a successive campaign, and it's good night to you all. Ciao!

Inside Goal.Com

Bayern's jinx - CL final referee Nicola Rizzoli
Goal takes a look at the career of the Italian arbiter to date following Uefa's decision to appoint the 41-year-old for Saturday's showpiece at Wembley
Goal's Serie A awards for 2012-13
Goal crowns the best and worst from Italy over the course of the season
Now or never for Wenger to seal legacy
The Gunners sealed a place in next season's Champions League with victory at Newcastle on Sunday - and must now spend money to improve the squad over the summer
And Goal.com's World Player of the Week is ...
Check out which star man gets the nod from our panel of experts this week ...
Milan failings laid bare on dramatic day
The Rossoneri clinched third spot in dramatic fashion in Siena on Sunday but still have a long way to go to get to where they need to be