Chelsea has sensationally sacked Andre Villas-Boas after less than one season in charge, with the side languishing in fifth in the Premier League.
The Portuguese was dismissed after Saturday’s poor 1-0 loss to West Bromwich, which left them three points behind Arsenal in the race for the Uefa Champions League spots.
Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich met with Villas-Boas on Sunday, before sacking him despite signing him as one of the brightest young coaching prospects in the last European summer following FC Porto’s unprecedented Liga Sagres and Europa League success.
A Chelsea statement read: “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 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 becomes the ninth manager to work under Abramovich. The Russian has previously sacked Claudio Ranieri, Avram Grant, Luiz Felipe Scolari, Carlo Ancelotti and now AVB.
In Villas-Boas’ 30 games in charge, he had a 50 per cent winning record, with 19 wins, 10 draws and nine losses.
Popular predecessors Jose Mourinho and Guus Hiddink had 67 and 73 per cent winning records.