Chelsea confirm Di Matteo as permanent manager

UEFA Champions League holders Chelsea FC have announced Roberto Di Matteo as their new permanent manager on a two-year contract.

The former Italy midfielder took over from André Villas-Boas on a temporary basis in March and made an almost immediate impact by guiding the club to their seventh FA Cup triumph with victory against Liverpool FC at Wembley Stadium less than two months later. The best was still to come, though, as Di Matteo masterminded the west London side's first UEFA Champions League trophy, thanks to a penalty shoot-out triumph over FC Bayern München in Munich.

"I'm obviously delighted to have been appointed as manager and first-team coach," said the 42-year-old, who lost just three games during his 11 weeks in charge last term. "We all achieved incredible success last season that made history for this great club. Our aim is to continue building on that and I'm already planning and looking forward to the squad's return for pre-season."

Chelsea chief executive Ron Gourlay is in no doubt that they have the right man to improve on the club's disappointing sixth-placed finish last season. "Roberto's quality was clear for all to see when he galvanised the squad last season and helped the club make history, and the owner and board are very pleased he will be continuing his good work," he said.

"We all believed he was a young coach with much to offer when we first asked him to take charge of team affairs in March and the manner in which he worked with us, the players and all the staff, and the success that followed, made him the clear choice when it came to selecting the person to take us forward in the seasons to come."