Skip to content

Di Matteo keeps the faith

Image: Roberto Di Matteo: Confident Chelsea still have the quality despite a disappointing season

Roberto Di Matteo has defended Chelsea's quality after Frank Lampard claimed he and his team-mates were "not as good as we used to be".

Blues boss defends side's quality

Roberto Di Matteo has defended Chelsea's quality after Frank Lampard claimed he and his team-mates were "not as good as we used to be". Lampard used the club's in-house television channel to deliver a withering assessment of the Blues' season, which sees them in real danger of failing to qualify for the Champions League. Interim boss Di Matteo admitted Chelsea - who are five points adrift of the Premier League top four - had endured a turbulent campaign, but he believes they are still a quality side. "The numbers say that, so there is no point in denying it's been a difficult season," admitted Di Matteo. "But we have quality in this team and many good players. I still think this Chelsea team is a very good team." Speaking ahead of Tuesday's Champions League quarter-final first leg at Benfica, and with Chelsea England's sole remaining European representative, Di Matteo added: "Chelsea used to be in the top two or top three, at least. So it's been hard for us, domestically. "But we're in the semi-finals of a domestic cup, and in the quarter-finals of the Champions League." Lampard also admitted Chelsea had allowed their intensity level to drop since their historic last-16 comeback to beat Napoli.

Faith

Di Matteo added: "I have faith in this team. They've shown they can play at high intensity at a high level, so I'm looking forward to my team doing that again tomorrow. "I am positive about the team, but my players are positive too. "We have great belief in our abilities. That's what we're going to try and express tomorrow." Di Matteo also took exception to claims from Benfica playmaker Nicolas Gaitan that Chelsea's "anxiety" this season was down to a lack of goals from Didier Drogba and Fernando Torres. "My response is that we scored 13 goals in the last six games," added Di Matteo. "As long as somebody in my team scores, I don't care. "We are scoring goals and creating chances. We're averaging more than two agame in the matches I've had in charge."
Opinion
He added: "Everybody seems to have an opinion, and they have that right, but I disagree. "I believe in my team, my squad, my players. "I don't think we're a weak team, not at all. "We have, still, many games to play in the Premier League to reach fourth, and two games in the quarter-finals of the Champions League. "It looked a little gloomier two weeks ago, so we're pleased to be here. "If we had a few more points in the Premier League, we wouldn't be talking like this. "It's a very fine line between success and failure. "This team has all the ability to play a very good game tomorrow night and show the qualities these players have."

Around Sky