Chelsea FC sacks coach Di Matteo, Replaces him with Rafa Benitez

Benitez replaces Roberto Di Matteo, who was sacked following Chelsea's disappointing 3-0 defeat at Juventus which leaves them on the brink of being knocked out of the Champions League.

Sky Sports understands Chelsea made an approach to Pep Guardiola earlier this week but the former Barcelona boss insisted he will not be returning to work until 2013.

Former Liverpool boss Benitez cut short an engagement in the Middle East to fly to London for talks and he has been appointed as "interim" manager until the end of the current campaign.
A statement on the club's website said: "Chelsea Football Club can confirm Rafael Benitez has been appointed interim first-team manager until the end of the season.

"The owner 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 is due to meet the players at the training ground in Cobham tomorrow (Thursday).

"The two-time UEFA Manager of the Year comes with outstanding pedigree. He began his managerial career in his homeland, most notably at Valencia where he built a reputation as one of Europe's top coaches by winning the Spanish League twice and the UEFA Cup.

"He then spent six years at Liverpool and led them to their fifth European Cup and an FA Cup."

The Spaniard becomes the ninth manager under Russian owner Abramovich.

An extraordinary 24 hours started with Di Matteo axeing Fernando Torres from his starting XI in Turin.
Di Matteo was then fired in the early hours of Wednesday morning, with Benitez appointed in the early evening.

And the new man will now be reunited with Torres, the striker he turned into a £50m player at Anfield.

The length of Benitez's contract appears the clearest indication yet of owner Roman Abramovich's determination to land Pep Guardiola once the former Barcelona boss completes his one-year sabbatical.