Andre Villas-Boas has been sacked by Chelsea after less than a season in charge at Stamford Bridge, the Premier League club announced in a statement on its website on Sunday.
Former Chelsea midfielder Roberto di Matteo, who had been working as Villas-Boas's assistant, has been appointed interim manager until the end of the season. Villas-Boas, who arrived from Porto in June 2011, has paid the price for a dismal run of results that left Chelsea in fifth place and on the verge of elimination from this season's Champions League after a 3-1 defeat at Napoli in the last 16 first leg.
He also had strained relationships with several of Chelsea's senior stars, including Frank Lampard, and a woeful run of results — including just one win in its last seven matches and only three from its last 12 in the League — forced owner Roman Abramovich to act.
The final straw came on Saturday as the Blues suffered a 1-0 defeat at West Bromwich Albion.
“Andre Villa-Boas has parted company with Chelsea Football Club today,” the Chelsea statement read.
“The board would like to record our gratitude for his work and express our disappointment that the relationship has ended so early.”
