Di Matteo: 'Lampard, join Lazio!'

Roberto Di Matteo has advised Frank Lampard to join Lazio. “It would certainly be a good choice for both parties. I’ve given him my opinion.”



He played for the Biancocelesti in his career and talked to Sky Sport Italia about the reports linking Lampard with the Olimpico club.



“Lampard is a great player and a great professional, so I am certain he can play at least another two years at the top level,” said Di Matteo.



“I don’t know if he will join Lazio or not, but it would certainly be a good choice for both parties. We often talk and I gave him my opinion. At the end of the day he will make the decision.”



England midfielder Lampard has also been linked with Serie A sides Milan and Juventus, plus offers from the MLS.



Di Matteo was surprisingly sacked by Chelsea earlier this season, just months after becoming the first Coach to win the Champions League with that club.



“It was an incredibly emotional experience and a very difficult achievement. I had three fantastic months on the Chelsea bench, but also tough, as we worked up to 18 hours a day to achieve our results.



“I was pleased to hear the fans cheer my name after I left. It was love at first sight with the supporters the moment I arrived in London and I am sure that love will continue over the years.



“Have I had any contact with Italian clubs? I prefer not to talk about this, as I have a great deal of respect for the current Coaches. In any case, I won’t hide that I am very happy with what Lazio are doing in Serie A.”

Rafa interested in Chelsea job

Rafa Benitez has admitted that Chelsea 'fall in the category' of clubs he would be interested in managing after Roberto di Matteo's sacking.



Benitez - in Abu Dhabi to talk at a coaching seminar - did not confirm or deny whether there had been any contact with the Stamford Bridge club.



The Spaniard is being heavily linked with a return to the Premier League with Chelsea, with bookmakers making him odds-on favourite.



"Obviously it is a top side and they can compete for trophies so it falls in this category," Benitez told The National. "What I will say is that I am looking for a club that can challenge for trophies so Chelsea is one of these clubs.



"The reason [I have not coached for nearly two years] is that you are looking for a top side that can challenge for trophies, because there are not too many top sides that can challenge so I had to wait."



Benitez is known to have spoken to Chelsea in the summer but backed away as they were only willing to offer a one-year term, with Pep Guardiola - currently on a sabbatical - tipped to take charge.



Before news of Di Matteo's sacking broke on Wednesday, Benitez had said that his "next challenge was close".

Di Matteo sacked by Chelsea

Chelsea manager Roberto Di Matteo has been sacked following a run of poor form.

The Italian won 24 of his 42 games in charge of the club but, after their 3-0 defeat to Juventus left them in danger of missing out on the knockout stages of the Champions League, Chelsea have decided to end his tenure.



Former Barcelona coach Pep Guardiola and ex-Liverpool manager Rafa Benitez have emerged as the early favourites to replace Di Matteo.



However, Harry Redknapp and former Stamford Bridge boss Jose Mourinho have also been mentioned as contenders for the position.



"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," read a statement on the club website.



"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 'expects' sack

Roberto Di Matteo expects to lose his job as Chelsea manager following the UEFA Champions League defeat by Juventus.

- Di Matteo reacts to the 3-0 loss to Juventus that could be one of his final games in charge of the club.



Chelsea are in danger of becoming the first holders to fail to progress beyond the group phase following Tuesday's 3-0 reverse in Turin.



It means the Blues must beat Nordsjaelland in their final group game in a fortnight's time and hope Juventus lose to the already-qualified Shakhtar Donetsk in order to reach the last 16.



Allied to a run of four Premier League games without a win, Di Matteo's position as manager at Stamford Bridge has come under increasing scrutiny just months after signing a two-year contract.



Di Matteo was handed a permanent deal after leading the Blues to Champions League and FA Cup success having replaced previous boss Andre Villas-Boas in March.



Speaking after the defeat against Juventus, Di Matteo admitted that, as manager of Chelsea, his position at Stamford Bridge will always be a topic of debate.



He said: "In a big club like this - if you have a few bad results - you are going to be under pressure but you have to live with it.



"And it's been like that from day one and it's up to me to pick the players up now."



Sky sources now understand that the Italian is bracing himself to be dumped by Chelsea, who face champions Manchester City in the Premier League this weekend.

Di Matteo backs Drogba to go on

Roberto Di Matteo says Didier Drogba could play for Chelsea for another two years as he defended the striker's play-acting against Barcelona.



Drogba's Jekyll-and-Hyde performance in the Blues' astonishing 1-0 Champions League semi-final first-leg win on Wednesday night saw him praised and castigated in almost equal measure.



The veteran striker's matchwinning effort days after a man-of-the-match display in Sunday's FA Cup semi-final thrashing of Tottenham led his agent to claim Chelsea would now cave in to his demands for a new two-year contract.



Yet, reports on Friday morning suggest the club would jettison the 34-year-old - who rejected a one-year extension to his current deal - at the end of the season, regardless of his heroics.



Drogba insisted on Wednesday night he still had two or three years left at the highest level and Di Matteo agreed on Friday, saying: "Yeah, whether it's for Chelsea or somebody else."



Drogba is far from the only thirtysomething whose Chelsea future was in doubt, with Frank Lampard, Florent Malouda and Paulo Ferreira also said to be on borrowed time.



Di Matteo pointed out there were plenty of examples of players who had starred at top clubs into their late thirties, including Manchester United duo Ryan Giggs and Paul Scholes, as well as Chelsea legend Gianfranco Zola.



He added: "I'm happy with the team, with the squad that we have and with the way they are responding and performing - young, old, middle-aged, whatever you want to call it."



Di Matteo, who currently has no input on comings and goings at Stamford Bridge, added of Drogba: "You've seen him many, many years now over the course of his career here and I'm sure you've made your own assessment of what kind of character he is.



"He's been with the club a long time and he's part of the history of this club - like many players that we've had here - and he always will be.



"The final decision (over his future) is going to be the club's decision."



Di Matteo also saw no need to "have a word" with Drogba over his less well received antics against Barca.



Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson confirmed he had done just that with Ashley Young amid accusations of diving against the winger but suggested what went on at Stamford Bridge on Wednesday night was much worse.



But Di Matteo insisted he had "fair players" and claimed Drogba took "a physical battering" against Barca, one which saw the Ivorian pick up a knee injury that left him in a race against time to be fit for the second leg.



Drogba's theatrical reaction to challenges made on him allowed Chelsea to run down the clock on Wednesday.



Di Matteo said: "Listen, you know how many times we were behind and other teams 'lost' time against us?



"You know how many times? Many times.



"Every team does that. Let me tell you, Barca do it as well."



The 41-year-old insisted he was against diving, however.



"Whether we can find way to eradicate it from our game, I'm not sure," he said.



"I think it would be nice, it would be fairer for everybody if we could.



"But it's been part of football for a long, long time."



He added: "The majority of players don't dive.



"It's a minority and we shouldn't generalise and put everybody in the same pot."



Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger has suggested foreign players introduced diving to England.



But Di Matteo said: "It doesn't matter from what nationality you come."



"Lately, there have been a few issues about it. But there have been issues before as well in the season and in previous seasons.



"The issue's always been there. It's maybe a little bit more at hand now because of what's happened in the last couple of weeks but it's an issue that's always there."

Di Matteo shows concern for Torres

Chelsea interim boss Roberto Di Matteo admits out-of-touch striker Fernando Torres has a 'psychological problem'.



The Spaniard, who arrived at Stamford Bridge for a record 50 million pounds, has scored just five goals since joining the Blues last January.



Torres did not feature in the 1-0 win over Stoke City at the weekend after a less than impressive outing in Chelsea’s 2-0 FA Cup replay victory at Birmingham City last Tuesday and is just 23 playing minutes away from a scoreless 24 hours.



Di Matteo admits the 27-year-old’s problems lie in his mental state and insists only the player can resolve the matter.



The Italian told reporters: "He has a psychological problem and only Fernando can unlock it.



"If he needs me, I am always here but it is obvious the change must come from him."



"He must not think about how much he cost the club."



"He must concentrate only on playing and not about scoring, or providing an assist or making a great play every time he touches the ball."



"He should not think about scoring goals, only about playing simple football. The rest will take care of itself."



The coach and former Blues player believes the ex-Liverpool man is still a top striker and just needs to regain some confidence to start performing at the highest level again.



"My approach with Fernando will always be a natural one. Fernando is still a great striker and I am sure he has not forgotten how to score goals."



"He is one of the strongest forwards in the world. He has scored so many goals in recent years and I'm sure he will continue to do so in the future. He will succeed because he is still young."



"He just needs to regain his confidence."



Meanwhile, Di Matteo has torn up the training plans Andre Villas-Boas had laid out for the team’s Champions League last-16 second-leg tie against Napoli, according to The Mirror.



The Portuguese manager was sacked just over a week ago, with the Blues' loss to West Brom proving the last straw for owner Roman Abramovich and he removed the former Porto boss after less than nine months in charge at Stamford Bridge.



Chelsea, who have not won any of their last five knockout games at home in European competition and have a 3-1 deficit to overturn on Wednesday, were ordered by Villas-Boas to train in a morning session at their Cobham base before a Champions League fixture.



Going into the game with the Serie A outfit, Di Matteo’s has apparently decided to move the session forward to Tuesday night, clashing with Napoli's pre-match press conference.