Chelsea manager Roberto Di Matteo has been sacked after the European champions were left facing elimination at the group stage of the Champions League, the club said yesterday.
“Chelsea Football Club has parted company this morning with manager Roberto di Matteo,” a statement said, following Tuesday’s 3-0 defeat by Juve.
Chelsea said the team’s “recent performances and results have not been good enough”.
Late in the evening, the London club announced that Rafael Benitez had been appointed their interim first team-manager until the end of the season.
Roman Abramovich, Chelsea’s Russian billionaire owner who has now sacked seven managers since buying the club in 2003, wanted a quick replacement and appointed former Liverpool boss Benitez, albeit in a caretaker capacity.
“Chelsea Football Club can confirm Rafael Benitez has been appointed interim first-team manager until the end of the season,” said another club statement.
“The owner (Abramovich) and the board believe that in Benitez we have a manager with significant experience at the highest level of football, who can come in and immediately help deliver our objectives.”
The 52-year-old Spaniard, formerly of Valencia, Liverpool and Inter, is due to meet Chelsea’s players at the club’s training ground in Cobham today.
Tuesday’s loss in Turin means Chelsea are poised to become the first ever Champions League winners to be knocked out in the group phase the following season.
Even victory at home to Danish side FC Nordsjaelland in their final group match may not be enough, as a draw between Juventus and Shakhtar Donetsk in the other Group D game would take both sides into the last 16.
Di Matteo was only appointed on a permanent basis in June, having led Chelsea to their first ever Champions League title after replacing his sacked predecessor Andre Villas-Boas in March.
Chelsea beat Bayern Munich on penalties in the Champions League final in May, two weeks after defeating Liverpool 2-1 in the FA Cup final.
“The owner and the Board would like to thank Roberto di Matteo for all he has done for the club since taking over in March,” Chelsea said, saying the Italian coach “will always be welcome at Stamford Bridge”.
Chelsea had made a superb start to the season, but since losing 2-1 at Shakhtar on September 23, their campaign has come off the rails.
They won seven and drew one of their opening eight league games to move four points clear at the Premier League summit but a 3-2 loss at home to Manchester United last month marked the start of a run of four games without a win.
Abramovich spent over €100m on new players in summer, notably bringing in winger Eden Hazard from Lille and midfielder Oscar from Internacional.