Roberto Di Matteo claimed in 2012 that one Chelsea player delivered the “perfect” performance on his first-ever Champions League appearance.
Roberto Di Matteo, 55, is synonymous with Chelsea because of his achievements at Stamford Bridge.
He was popular in the Blues midfield as a player between 1996 and 2002, winning six major trophies. Then, in 2012, he was Chelsea manager when they won the Champions League and FA Cup.
Di Matteo claims he speaks with Enzo Maresca, the club’s head coach, but he doesn’t need to offer him any advice.
Chelsea head coach Roberto Di Matteo at the Champions League match against Juventus.
Photo by AMA/Corbis via Getty Images
Roberto Di Matteo was stunned by Oscar’s debut in the Champions League
On 19 September 2012, Champions League holders Chelsea recorded a 2-2 draw at home to Juventus in the group stages.
It’s a match that will go down in history because of Oscar. The Brazilian attacking midfielder, who was making his debut in the Champions League, scored two goals from outside the box in remarkable fashion.
Di Matteo was overjoyed with Oscar’s performance after giving him a first appearance in the Champions League.
Straight after Chelsea’s win against Juventus, Di Matteo said via UEFA’s website: “Oscar was perfect tonight. We were waiting for the right game to put him in and he did a great job tactically and scored two goals; his second was fantastic. He played a big role for us today.
“He’s a big talent. We shouldn’t forget he’s still a young man, but he’s already established with the Brazil national team, which is very difficult. We are very lucky to have him on our team.”
Even though Di Matteo didn’t know much about Oscar when Chelsea signed him in the 2012 summer window, he quickly started to impress in his team. When he was fit and firing, he was a real talisman for the Blues with his creativity and goal threat.
Oscar shooting to score for Chelsea against Juventus in the Champions League.
Photo by Mike Hewitt/Getty Images
Oscar’s underrated Chelsea career
Chelsea have had so many outstanding individuals in the 21st century, which may be a reason why 34-year-old Oscar goes a bit under the radar for his contribution in West London.
The Brazilian playmaker was so effective for the Blues, both on and off the ball, so supporters generally loved him. It is worth remembering that he won two Premier League titles during his time in English football, along with the Europa League and League Cup.
Appearances Goals Assits Trophies
203 38 31 4
Oscar’s record at Chelsea
If he had just stayed a bit longer rather than leaving for China, he may have been remembered even more fondly.
It is great to see now fellow Brazilians Joao Pedro and Estevao Willian looking to follow in his footsteps at the Bridge. In fact, Oscar claims Pedro is the face of Chelsea after joining from Brighton in the summer.