Chelsea has fired coach Roberto Di Matteo after a series of unsatisfactory results both domestically and in the Champions League.

The Italian manager, who spent six year at Chelsea as a player, was blamed for the team’s toneless performance in Tuesday’s Champions League clash with Juventus.

A 0-3 away defeat displeased the club’s owner Roman Abramovich, who gave Di Matteo his marching orders on Wednesday.

In March 2012, Di Matteo took the helm of the Blues as acting head coach, taking over from Portuguese Andre Villas-Boas, and managed to save the season, winning the FA Cup and the Champions League.

He was appointed the club’s head coach in June but failed to bring the team to a new level. Chelsea currently sits third in both the Premier League and the Champions League.

Di Matteo’s successor will be announced shortly. Sky Sports speculate it could be former Liverpool helmsman Rafael Benitez.  

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