How much it could cost to manger of a defending champion when he brings it down to almost elimination? An immediate sacking? Yes, and this is what happened with Chelsea when its boss Roman Abramovich sacked Chelsea’s manger Di Matteo after a defeat to Juventus in UEFA Champions League. It was not just a defeat; it brought Chelsea down on the threshold of elimination from a league which was won by it last year; perhaps, its manager’s sacking in not related to one loss only. There are, in fact, only two wins out of eight played matches in current Champions Series despite Chelsea’s brilliant .start of the season. Notably, it was the Di Matteo who led Chelsea when it claimed both Champions League and FA Cup in the last season, and as a reward; he got a permanent job as manager in June. Now, he becomes the eighth manager being sacked by Russian Billionaire Abramovich since he took the club back in 2003. But the good news is; his survival ran a week longer than his earlier colleague Andre Villas-Boas.
This news could be shocking to many, but according to close associates of Abramovich, he is very upset with his team’s performance who is going to be the first defending champion to be eliminated from the league in group stages itself. Chelsea issued a statement over this dismissal that reads as, “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.”
Since, it is the middle of the season; Abramovich contacted former Liverpool manager Rafael Benítez to take on the job for remaining season which he accepted, and next Chelsea clash with Manchester City will be played under his supervision. However, for a long term job, there are few names in the probable list, like former Barcelona manager Pep Guardiola and former Tottenham Hotspur manager Harry Redknapp, but the final appointment will be declared by the Blues later.