BREAKING NEWS: Di Matteo sacked as Chelsea boss, Benitez Likely To Replace Him
Chelsea have announced the departure of manager Roberto Di Matteo on Wednesday, one day after another loss in the Champions League left the defending champions on the brink of elimination.
Di Matteo, who took over last season after Andres Villas-Boas was fired, led Chelsea to its first Champions League title in May. But after a 3-0 loss to Juventus on Tuesday in Turin, the London club is in danger of becoming the first defending champion to fail to advance from the group stage.
A club statement read:
"Chelsea Football Club has parted company this morning with manager Roberto Di Matteo. "The team's recent performances and results have not been good enough and the owner and the Board felt that a change was necessary now to keep the club moving in the right direction as we head into a vitally important part of the season.
"The club faces a difficult task ahead in qualifying for the knockout stages of the UEFA Champions League as well as maintaining a strong challenge for the top of the Premier League while competing in three other cup competitions. Our aim is to remain as competitive as possible and challenge strongly on all fronts.
"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."
Di Matteo hinted after the loss to Juve that any questions over his future should be put to Abramovich, not him.
"At the moment, I think, with the team, we are all in it together," he said. "I'm responsible for the results and at the moment I am here and I think I will be for the future.
"But that question [about my future] is probably not one you should ask me. As far as I'm concerned, I'll keep working. But I'm responsible for the result. I'm responsible for the performance.
"It's a negative evening for us – a big disappointment for us, for the team, for the club. If anyone has to take the blame, it's me. I selected a team I was convinced was the right team to win against Juventus, or get at least a draw, so the blame belongs to me."
Abramovich is reportedly willing to offer Spaniard Rafa Benitez - who has been out of work since leaving Internazionale in 2010 - a deal until the end of the season. Benitez won the Champions League with Liverpool in 2005 and reached the final in 2007
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