Roberto Di Matteo believes Liam Rosenior is already transforming Chelsea’s identity, noting that his way of playing football will resonate with the Blues’ faithful if results follow.
Many Chelsea fans will agree that Roberto Di Matteo is a club icon who achieved legendary status as both a player and manager.
As a creative midfielder from 1996 to 2002, he won six trophies, famously scoring a then-record 43-second goal in the 1997 FA Cup Final. Injury forced his retirement at 31, but he returned as interim manager in 2012. In a historic three-month spell, Di Matteo secured a famous FA Cup and Champions League double, delivering the club’s first-ever European Cup.
Today, he remains a revered club representative and a respected tactical voice at Stamford Bridge.
And recently, he’s been giving his honest thoughts on Liam Rosenior‘s start to life at Chelsea.
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Roberto Di Matteo loves Liam Rosenior’s tactics
Speaking on Sky Sports News, Roberto Di Matteo was full of praise for the new Chelsea boss but warned that it is a high-pressure job.
“I like his ideas about football. He wants the team to dominate the ball, control the tempo, and be proactive rather than reactive.
“Chelsea fans will appreciate that if he can get the players fully on board and results start following.
“It’s a big job, massive pressure at Chelsea, but he seems composed and has a clear vision. Let’s see how it develops over the coming weeks and months.”
Di Matteo was also a big fan of Enzo Maresca too.
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Di Matteo and Rosenior’s similarities
One of the most immediate similarities is their arrival as mid-season stabilisers tasked with uniting a dressing room during a period of transition.
Both managers were seen as emotionally intelligent appointments, leaders capable of handling the massive pressure of Stamford Bridge by building strong personal relationships with senior players while trusting in the club’s emerging youth talent.
Another parallel is their connection to Chelsea. Di Matteo was a club legend and former assistant who understood the culture from the inside, while Rosenior was recruited directly from Strasbourg.
Rosenior has already begun his own European journey, most notably echoing Di Matteo’s 2012 success with a tactical victory over Napoli in the early rounds of the 2026 knockout stages.
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