Chelsea appoint Di Matteo to replace AVB

It was inevitable that Andre Villas-Boas would be dismissed after the Chelsea boss presided over yet another disastrous defeat at West Brom.

Roman Abramovich called an emergency board meeting yesterday and they decided that they had no choice but to try and arrest the slide by letting AVB go and try and do some damage limitation until the end of the season by giving Roberto Di Matteo the helm until the end of the season.

Chelsea said in a statement on their official website, www.chelseafc.com: “Andre Villas-Boas has parted company with Chelsea Football Club today.

“The board would like to record our gratitude for his work and express our disappointment that the relationship has ended so early.

“Unfortunately the results and performances of the team have not been good enough and were showing no signs of improving at a key time in the season.

“The club is still competing in the latter stages of the UEFA Champions League and the FA Cup, as well as challenging for a top-four spot in the Premier League, and we aim to remain as competitive as possible on all fronts.

“With that in mind, we felt our only option was to make a change at this time. With immediate effect, Roberto Di Matteo has been appointed first-team coach on an interim basis until the end of the season.”

Di Matteo has now become the 11th manager at Chelsea in Abramovic’s nine seasons at Stamford Bridge, but the question is; Who will be the 12th?