Roberto Di Matteo casts doubt over Pep Guardiola's ability to bring tiki-taka to Chelsea

 

Roberto Di Matteo today cast doubt over whether Barcelona's culture could be exported to another club after Pep Guardiola suddenly became available for the Chelsea job.

Less than three days after being outwitted by caretaker Blues boss Di Matteo in the Champions League semi-finals, Guardiola this afternoon confirmed he was quitting as Barca manager at the end of the season. Although he announced he planned to take a sabbatical, speculation is rife Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich will try to make him an offer he cannot refuse.

Abramovich is said to have long craved the concept of 'Barcelona in blue shirts', identifying Guardiola as the perfect manager to deliver that vision.

But Di Matteo said today: "History tells us it's difficult to replicate the culture of a club into a different club.

"He (Guardiola) might be the first one to do it. But if you look back at history, it seems as if it's been different."

You do not need to look back too far, with Di Matteo part of the Andre Villas-Boas regime that tried and failed to do just that before the latter was sacked almost two months ago.

Di Matteo's decision to go back to basics since taking charge has paid off spectacularly, culminating in Tuesday night's sensational comeback to beat Barca and reach the Champions League final.

Since then, the clamour for the 41-year-old to be handed the reins full-time has reached fever pitch.

His hopes would appear to rest on whether the reclusive Abramovich believes the Italian is also capable of producing the brand of football for which Guardiola is famed, or whether Tuesday's result has convinced him that the Barca model is not all it is cracked up to be.

Di Matteo was none the wiser today about his long-term future.

"Nothing has changed from my point of view," he said, insisting he remained "very relaxed" about his lot.

"I'm still very happy to be able to get this club to the end of the season and then this club will make a decision as to what is best for the club."

Although doubtless delighted with the semi-final win, Chelsea's methods over the two legs were the antithesis of the type of football that first convinced Abramovich to buy a club of his own.

They were also roundly condemned by the purists but Di Matteo said: "We don't really care. We scored three goals against Barcelona.

"Arguably, we scored the best goal, with the Ramires goal. People can talk as much as they want. We went through over two legs.

"Two different styles of football, but we're in the final."

Barca's Champions League defeat convinced Guardiola to go public about his intention to stand down this afternoon, the former Spain star admitting the pressure of the job had got to him.

Managing Chelsea is not exactly a bed of roses either but it has certainly done nothing to put off Di Matteo.

"I'm still young myself. Hopefully I'll have a few more years to manage," he said.

He also paid tribute to Guardiola, who has won a jaw-dropping 13 trophies since 2009.

"What a coach and a manager he is," he said.

"He's a great guy, a young man as well with many years ahead of him.

"He's had such tremendous success and has decided what is probably best for himself, his career and probably his family.

"I think he's a role model as a coach for every young manager, what he has achieved in such a short period of time.

"I'm not sure anyone else can replicate that."

Di Matteo is certainly going the right way about it, with Champions League and FA Cup finals to look forward to after less than eight weeks in the Stamford Bridge hotseat.

However, it is qualifying for next season's Champions League that is the top priority.

And if Chelsea are not to leave themselves having to win next month's final to do that, they may need to win their next two Barclays Premier League games against QPR and Newcastle.

Di Matteo insisted his sixth-placed side would not give up on fourth and put all their eggs in one basket.

He said: "We'll try to win on Sunday to keep our hopes alive to finish in fourth spot. Then we'll take the next game on.

"Our priority is Sunday, now, to try our best against QPR."

Independent Comment
blog comments powered by Disqus
Caption competition
Caption competition
News in pictures
World news in pictures
Sport blogs

iBet: Mercedes and Hamilton to roar in Monaco

Monaco is a street circuit where driver ability is more important than anywhere else and if we take ...

by Gareth Purnell

On The Road at the Giro d’Italia: It sounds sadistic, but the team live for the mountain stages

Three weeks ago as I drove off the Eurostar, I remember thinking what a very long time it was until ...

by Martin Ayres

iBet: Rose has the ammunition for Wentworth

McDowell did brilliantly to land the World Match Play title in Bulgaria last week, but it’s a format...

by Gareth Purnell

       

Day In a Page

James Pembroke: The man who's eaten everywhere

The man who's eaten everywhere

Few people know more about restaurants than James Pembroke, who only spent five mealtimes at home during his entire childhood.
A Berliner in 1963 – but did John F Kennedy once admire Adolf Hitler?

A Berliner in 1963 – but did John F Kennedy once admire Adolf Hitler?

The young JFK praised 'superior' Nordic races during visits to Germany
Banned Iranian director Mohammad Rasoulof to attend Cannes Film Festival 2013, his first public appearance since prison

Banned Iranian director to attend Cannes Film Festival

Mohammad Rasoulof to make his first public appearance since being imprisoned three years ago
Seeing the larger picture: Inspiring images of space

Seeing the larger picture: Inspiring images of space

An exhibition explores images how photography has shaped astronomy
Eat Spam and carry on: Wartime pamphlets could teach us a thing or two about healthy, thrifty eating

Eat Spam and carry on

Wartime pamphlets could teach us a thing or two about healthy, thrifty eating
Facial hair: Cat beards and the purrrsuit of excellence

Facial hair

Cat beards and the purrrsuit of excellence
The 10 Best salt and pepper sets

The 10 Best salt and pepper sets

Whether they're for everyday use or to make your dining table look just right, it's worth getting a stylish shaker...
Ferran Soriano: Predicting success if Manchester City 'vision' is followed

Ferran Soriano: Predicting success if Manchester City 'vision' is followed

Chief executive says trophies will come if a 'core' of suitable players is in place
Thomas Müller: We couldn't handle losing a Champions League Final again

Thomas Müller: We couldn't handle losing a Champions League Final again

The Bayern Munich forward tells Tim Rich his side have to shed chokers' tag after two recent final defeats
Giro d'Italia: The Stelvio Pass - cycling's killer climb

The Stelvio Pass - cycling's killer climb

As the Giro d'Italia tackles the brutal climb, Simon Usborne takes on the snow and switchbacks – and soon realises what the fuss is about
National archives: Edward VIII’s phone calls - and how MI5 bugged them

Edward VIII’s phone calls - and how MI5 bugged them

Newly unearthed papers reveal a shocking extra dimension to the constitutional crisis over monarch’s abdication
Sent down at the Old Bailey: A tour of the world's most famous court

Sent down at the Old Bailey

A tour of the world's most famous court
Hollywood's random acts of red-carpet kindness

Hollywood's random acts of red-carpet kindness

The Hangover actor Zach Galifianakis’s date for his movie premieres isn’t arm candy  – it’s his 87-year-old friend who he saved from homelessness
British football scores an own goal

British football scores an own goal

Many managers barely survive a year in post. Martin Baker talks to experts who make a case for clubs using forensic business skills to find the best staff
James Lawton: Sergio Garcia cracks as major fault line opens up again

James Lawton

Sergio Garcia cracks as major fault line opens up again