Hovering axe won’t deflect Di Matteo gaze from slice of history
CHELSEA manager Robert di Matteo is refusing to let the prospect of a swift and ruthless departure distract him from his mission to take the club into uncharted territory by winning the Champions League.
Di Matteo knows that even victory in Saturday’s final against Bayern Munich at the Germans’ own Allianz Arena may not be enough to convince Blues owner Roman Abramovich to prolong the Italian’s brief tenure.
But he said: “I have a big drive and a big motivation to do something extraordinary for this club. That’s all I want to do. Whatever comes afterwards, there’s always a reason why things happen.
“This game can decide the history of our football club. It would be the first time we would win the European Champions League. That’s all that matters and all we’re thinking about and focusing on.”
Di Matteo has already led Chelsea to the FA Cup in a 10-week spell in charge since replacing the sacked Andre Villas-Boas, and has defied expectations by masterminding their progress to the cusp of Champions League glory. Yet Abramovich dispensed with Avram Grant despite reaching the final in 2008, while a league and cup double only bought Carlo Ancelotti a season’s grace, and suggestions of Di Matteo’s imminent departure abound.
Suspensions have left the former Blues midfielder with “a headache” and although defenders David Luiz and Gary Cahill were fit enough to train yesterday he admits that concerns over their fitness are unlikely to be banished until the weekend.