The announcement was made on the Chelsea website, just hours after Di Matteo’s departure, who had only just led the London side to victory in the Champions League final for the very first time in the clubs history.

Rafael Benitez appointed Chelsea Boss

“The owner and the Board believe that in Benitez we have a manager with significant experience at the highest level of football, who can come in and immediately help deliver our objectives,” read the club statement. “The 52-year-old Spaniard is due to meet the players at the training ground in Cobham tomorrow (Thursday),”

Benitez will be taking his new side to play Manchester City on the weekend, talk about being thrown in the deep end. This will make Benitez the ninth Chelsea manager under club owner Roman Abramovich.

Benitez had a very good spell at Valencia, winning two La Liga titles and the UEFA Cup, at Liverpool he was also able to bring some success by winning the Champions league in 2005 and also taking the Merseyside team to the final again in 2007. However, many say the side he inherited was the team that won it and that if anything the Spaniard took the side into the slump that exists today.

Many had hoped the former Barcelona manager Pep Guardiola who had also been strongly pipped for the job would come in and take the reigns, but he is still on a year-long sabbatical after leaving the successful Catalan club, and he is adamant that he takes his rest.

The former Chelsea manager Di Matteo had only just taken over from AVB, had also won the FA Cup in his short stint. Many of the players will be distressed at this news having given the Italian their votes of confidence on many an occasion. Di Matteo was a very popular manager amongst the players and was able to bring the team together in what looked like a disastrous season last year. This is a very controversial decision by the Russian Billionaire and one that will be frowned upon by many.

I personally think this is a big mistake. The only other person who would have been a viable option to take over the hot seat was Pepe Guardiola, so I do not see how Chelsea will move forward with this appointment. We will see what the future holds, but I don’t see progress this year for the West London Club and if anything I can’t see Benitez being at the club for too long either.