Chelsea boss Roberto Di Matteo drops £50m striker Fernando Torres for key tie against Juventus

Chelsea manager Roberto Di Matteo has finally decided against persisting with £50 million striker Fernando Torres for tonight's vital Champions League game against Juventus.

Torres has scored just once since the first week in October and has only scored 11 goals in 58 Premier League games for Chelsea. His record of six goals in 18 competitive appearances this season and another poor display in the defeat at West Bromwich Albion this weekend has convinced Di Matteo to replace the misfiring striker.

Eden Hazard starts in a lone striking role, with Torres on the substitutes' bench.

The Blues boss is thought to be considering a radical overhaul of his team and formation ahead of their Champions League Group E game in Turin. Chelsea are in danger of being the first holders to crash out of the competition before Christmas.

Di Matteo admitted that his team were angry and frustrated after Saturday's defeat at the Hawthorns. "Yeah, it's not the first time to be honest," he said. "We demand a lot of ourselves, expect a lot of ourselves. It's not the first time. We were very disappointed and frustrated, so it's good sometimes.

Di Matteo had said yesterday that he was considering making changes to the Chelsea attack: "I've always said that we have two strikers in our team, Fernando and Daniel Sturridge.

"They're both fit and I'll have to see how we're going to go tomorrow. I will do whatever I believe is best for this game."

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