Roberto Di Matteo in frame for Chelsea job after European Cup glory

CHELSEA chairman Bruce Buck has admitted Roberto di Matteo will come “under serious consideration” when the Blues hierarchy sit down to discuss what to do about their vacant managerial position. Di Matteo only took over on an interim basis following the dismissal of Andre Villas-Boas in February. No-one could have imagine quite what a success Di Matteo would be.

Although Chelsea missed out on a coveted top-four league place, they defeated Liverpool in the FA Cup final earlier this month and enjoyed the greatest night in their history when they beat Bayern Munich on penalties in the Allianz Arena to win the Champions League for the first time. Now that work is over, Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich can work out a plan for the future, and what part, if any, Di Matteo will play in it.

And, for the first time, Buck has confirmed the 41-year-old former Italy midfielder will be one of the names in the frame. “Robbie has done an amazing job,” said Buck. “He has enabled the players to get back the confidence they used to have. He’s really got them performing. We’ve put [managerial speculation] aside for the last six or eight weeks, concentrating on Barcelona, the FA Cup and Bayern Munich, but I think now we have to sit down and figure that out.

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“Roberto is certainly in the mix. He’s done a great job and has to have serious consideration.”

Buck confirmed Di Matteo will learn his fate “sooner rather than later”, knowing Chelsea must move on the manager’s position before they can establish summer transfer targets. Chelsea are a more attractive proposition following last night’s win, which came after the game finished 1-1 after extra time.

Indeed, Di Matteo needed to wind the clock back four years for the true significance of what Chelsea achieved in Munich. He was an interested observer, watching on TV, when John Terry strode forward to take that fateful final penalty in the Moscow rain. And the Italian felt Terry’s pain as he slipped just as he was about to strike, landing with a thud on his backside as the ball squirmed away, offering Manchester United the chance to etch their name on the most prestigious trophy in the club game once more.

Redemption took longer than planned, which is the point Di Matteo was making following a shoot-out success that confirms Chelsea as England’s fifth winner of the most prestigious club competition and a member of Europe’s elite.

“I was at home that night,” said Di Matteo. “I felt very much for John Terry. It would have been like a film script for him to score the winning goal. It turned into a very painful experience, for him and the club. A lot of the players thought we would qualify for the final again pretty quickly. But it hasn’t come again until 2012, which proves what a difficult competition to win it is. You have to take your chance when it comes.”

That is what Chelsea did, despite the massive odds they faced. On their home ground, taking a lead eight minutes from time, getting themselves a penalty in extra time then establishing a 3-1 advantage in a shoot-out taking place in front of their own fans, if Bayern were unable to profit from all those elements in their favour, they did not deserve to win.

Didier Drogba will clearly grab the headlines but superb performances from Ashley Cole and Petr Cech should not be ignored on a night which will shape Chelsea’s future.

“Winning this game will make a huge difference to the future of our club,” said Di Matteo. “We always said it was crucial to be involved in the Champions League and winning this match qualifies us for next season’s competition. It is a double whammy for us in a positive sense.”

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Given his mammoth contribution, it seems impossible to believe drilling Chelsea’s final penalty beyond Manuel Neuer will be Drogba’s final act in eight incredible years with the club. Now 34, with three Premier League titles, four FA Cups, two League Cups and now the biggest prize of all collected, there seems little more for Drogba to achieve with Chelsea. Would it not be more fitting for him to accept different challenges in a very different part of the world – China hardly offers the same competitiveness – his place in Stamford Bridge folklore secure?

“Didier is a big-match player and he did it once again,” said Buck of a player who has now scored nine goals in nine finals for Chelsea. “[Chief executive] Ron Gourlay is going to sit down with his agent this week and we’ll see where it goes. We have to do what’s best for Chelsea Football Club and Didier has to do what’s best for him.”

Meanwhile, Frank Lampard insisted Champions League glory should not spell the end of an era at Chelsea after finally getting his hands on the biggest prize in club football.

Lampard claimed there was no reason why last night should herald a break-up of the squad that have been together for most of the past decade.

“Teams are always changing, but why should we stop now?” said Lampard, the first man to captain Chelsea to the Champions League. “We want to carry on, move forwards. We’ve won the FA Cup and now the Champions League and the determination and spirit we have shown, it’s been fantastic.”

Lampard’s days at Chelsea looked numbered three months ago after a falling out with then manager Andre Villas-Boas, who appeared determined to phase out their older players.

Di Matteo’s decision to embrace them paid off spectacularly as they delivered the greatest moment in the club’s history.

Lampard said: “The key players have been there a long time and we want to win, we are determined to win. In the dressing room we have a tough group. We struggled earlier in the season, confidence was low, but there is a real determination here and, when times are hard, we dig in.

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“If you had asked me three months ago if we would win this competition, I would have laughed. But we have done.”

Lampard, part of the previous eight failed attempts to win the Champions League, added: “It’s the best footballing night of my life – the hour we spent on the pitch with the fans afterwards. I’ve been here 11 years and I’ve been waiting for this baby for a long time. I’m pleased we haven’t won it before, because it feels even more special.

“That might sound stupid but, to wait so long and to do it the way we did with the season we’ve had, the spirit in the team – amazing.”

Lampard admitted he thought Chelsea’s luck had run out when they fell behind last night but had no doubts they would win the penalty shootout. “I admit when we were trailing 1-0 with about a minute left, I wasn’t so sure,” said Lampard, part of the side beaten on penalties in Moscow in the 2008 final. “Once it went to penalties, I thought there was no way we were going to lose.”