Chelsea delay decision on Di Matteo future
CHELSEA interim boss Roberto di Matteo remains in the running to land the job permanently, despite suggestions the Italian is resigned to missing out at the end of the season, say club chiefs.
The Blues could yet make history by winning the Champions League for the first time and chief executive Ron Gourlay is adamant no decision on Di Matteo’s future will be made until after the final on 19 May.
“The club said from day one when he came in as interim manager that we would assess things at the end of the season. We have not changed our approach,” said Gourlay.
“Robbie is completely on board with that and the last person who’s going to put any pressure on the team at this stage is me.”
Former Chelsea player Di Matteo has resurrected the team’s season since replacing the sacked Andre Villas-Boas in March and has already landed one trophy, with victory in Saturday’s FA Cup final against Liverpool. The club game’s biggest prize, the Champions League, could yet follow if the west Londoners can defeat Bayern Munich as they did so impressively holders Barcelona in the semi-finals.
However, failure to win the trophy would deny the Blues a place in next season’s competition, and cost them an estimated £40m in revenue, as they are doomed to finish outside the Premier League’s top four.
Gourlay, meanwhile, played down suggestions he had met a mamber of Qatar’s ruling family about funding a potential revamp of Battersea Power Station, where Chelsea hope to build a new stadium.
“There are a number of meetings that go on around the world, really, a number of friends, a number of partnerships,” he said. “I wouldn’t go reading too much into any of that.”
Gourlay is bullish on the prospects of agreeing a new deal with evergreen striker Didier Drogba, who is thought to want double the one-year contract previously on offer.
“Didier loves this football club, we love Didier, and we’ll continue to have the conversations,” he added.
Centre-backs David Luiz and Gary Cahill remain major doubts for the Champions League final after the pair missed training yesterday.