Chelsea Won’t Underestimate Juventus Stresses Roberto Di Matteo

Wednesday, 19th September, 2012

Chelsea boss Roberto Di Matteo is not underestimating Juventus ahead of the Blues’ Champions League clash against the Italian champions this evening.

relatedNewsStory Juventus have burst back into Europe’s elite club competition after a remarkable run in Serie A, going through the whole of last season unbeaten and taking the Scudetto.

And so far, despite losing coach Antonio Conte to a ten-month ban for his involvement in a match-fixing scandal which took place at his former club Siena, the Bianconeri have started where they left off, winning all three of their Serie A games so far.

Di Matteo, a former Italy midfielder, is well aware of the threat his countrymen will pose and is expecting them to sit back before trying to take Chelsea apart on the break.

"They are a very strong team, everybody recognises that and they are on a long unbeaten run", Di Matteo told his club’s official site.

"They have a lot of quality, experienced and younger players and this is one of the most difficult teams we could have been drawn against", he continued.

"Their side will be similar to the one that came here a few years ago, determined to sit back, but they will try to impose their football, they like to get on the ball but we will try to limit their spaces on the pitch."

There is much expectation on Chelsea ahead of the match, as the Blues start the new Champions League campaign as holders following their remarkable victory against Bayern Munich in last season’s final.

And having added the likes of Eden Hazard, Oscar and Marko Marin over the summer months, Di Matteo’s hand has been strengthened, with a more free-flowing style of football the objective.