RDM: I'm responsible for the result

Roberto Di Matteo admitted that he was to blame for Chelsea's 3-0 defeat against Juventus which left them on the brink of exiting the Champions League.

By ESPNSTAR.com staff
The Bianconeri attacked from the start in front of their own fans and took the lead seven minutes from half-time when Fabio Quagliarella managed to divert Andrea Pirlo's shot past Petr Cech. Arturo Vidal doubled the tally on the hour mark after his shot was deflected off Ramires before substitute Sebastian Giovinco rounded up the win with an injury time goal.
The Champions League holders fielded a three-man defence but the plan did not seem to work out as Chelsea were dominated in terms of chances created, with Juve registering 15 shots on target, more than twice of Chelsea's six shots on goal.
Blues boss Di Matteo refused to deflect responsibility for the loss - the club's heaviest ever in a group match - as the biggest selection gamble of his reign backfired spectacularly.
The result piled the pressure on the Italian, who acknowledged he was feeling the heat just six months after masterminding the most glorious moment in the club's history.
Chelsea now need to win their final Group E game against FC Nordsjaelland and hope Shakhtar Donetsk beat Juve, despite having already qualified for the knockout stage.
Juventus assistant manager Angelo Alessio rubbished suggestions the Italian champions would not play competitively at Shakhtar in a game neither side need to win.
He said: "We're not used to going out trying to gain a draw. We will go there wanting to win."
Di Matteo risked the Russian's wrath by dropping Fernando Torres and radically overhauling his tactics this evening and he took full responsibility afterwards.
He said: "I'm responsible for the result. I'm responsible for the performance. It's a negative evening for us.
"If anyone has to take the blame, it's me. I selected a team I was convinced was the right team to win against Juventus, or get at least a draw, so the blame belongs to me."
He added: "I'm responsible for positive and negative results. This is what I do."
When asked about his decision to play the unfamiliar formation, Di Matteo defended his strategy and insisted that his side did well enough but were let down by the final result.
"I thought this was the team to beat Juventus. [Eden] Hazard had the first good chance for us, I thought he played the [lone forward] position well, held the ball up and put some great balls in.
"I wanted to give problems to Juventus in different ways, not to give them a point of reference. That's what Hazard did, he moved their three centre-backs around.
"When the result is negative, everything will be questioned. We have to pick ourselves up again.
"The first goal I thought was lucky because of the deflection but we're conceding goals and we have to start defensively solid to try to win games. If we don't do that, it's going to be hard.
"We have hope because mathematically it's still possible for us."
Di Matteo took more than an hour to emerge for his post-match press conference but he said that was not because he had been grilled by senior club executives.
Asked if it would be unfair to sack him given all he had achieved last season, he said: "I'm the wrong person to answer that question.
"At a big club like this, if you have a few bad results you're going to be under pressure. It's been the same from day one. We have to live with the pressure and try to pick the players up. We're in it together; we've had a long journey together.
"At the moment, I am here and I think I will be for the future.
"It's probably not a question you should ask me but, as far as I'm concerned, I'll keep working."
Chelsea goalkeeper Cech starred yet again for his side with a string of fine saves and admitted that the result was disappointing considering their Champions League victory last season.
"Last season the Champions League was a dream, this season it's a disappointment. We must win our last game and hope destiny is kind to us.
If Chelsea are eliminated in a fortnight's time, they will become the first reigning European champion to go out in first round since Nottingham Forest back in 1980-81