Factfile on Roberto Di Matteo who was sacked as manager of Chelsea on Wednesday, six months after leading the Premier League side to their first Champions League title. Born May 29, 1970 in Switzerland to Italian parents. EARLY CAREER Joins Schaffhausen as a midfielder in 1988. Wins the Swiss League with FC Aarau in 1992 and then moves to Serie A side Lazio. Makes his international debut for Italy in November 1994 as a substitute in a 2-1 defeat by Croatia. JOINS CHELSEA Ruud Gullit signs Di Matteo from Lazio in 1996 for a then club record 4.9 million pounds ($7.80 million). Scores after 43 seconds of the 1997 FA Cup final as Chelsea win 2-0 against Middlesbrough. A year later Di Matteo scores again in the League Cup final victory over Middlesbrough and then wins the European Cup Winners' Cup with Chelsea. Di Matteo scores in the 1-0 win over Aston Villa as Chelsea win the FA Cup in 2000. Suffers a triple leg fracture in a UEFA Cup tie in Sept. 2000 and after 18 months on the sidelines retires from playing at the age of 31. MOVES INTO MANAGEMENT Di Matteo is appointed manager of MK Dons in League One (third tier) in July 2008. They miss out on promotion after losing their playoff semi-final. Moves to Championship side West Bromwich Albion in 2009 and takes them into the Premier League but is sacked in February 2011. Returns to Chelsea as assistant manager to Andre Villas Boas in June 2011 and takes over on an interim basis when the Portuguese coach is sacked following a poor run of results in March this year. TAKES OVER AT CHELSEA Revitalised under Di Matteo, Chelsea win the FA Cup and then, having beaten overwhelming favourites Barcelona in the semi-finals, they defeat Bayern Munich on their home ground in a penalty shootout to win the European Cup for the first time. Di Matteo is rewarded with a two-year contract in June. After an impressive start to this season, with seven wins and a draw in their opening eight Premier League games to go four points clear at the top, Chelsea's form slumps. They have won two of their last eight games are in danger of becoming the first holders to go out of the Champions League at the group stage following Tuesday's 3-0 defeat at Juventus. (For more sports news and updates, follow Ahram Online Sports on Twitter at @AO Sports and on Facebook at AhramOnlineSports)
