Nemanja Matic 'integral' to Chelsea, says Roberto di Matteo
Match-winner Nemanja Matic is now an integral part of Jose Mourinho’s Chelsea team, says Roberto di Matteo.
The Serbia international – who has been an ever-present for the London club this season – nodded Chelsea to a 1-0 Champions League group-stage win at Sporting Lisbon on Tuesday night.
And former Blues boss Di Matteo says the 26-year-old – who rejoined the club for £21m in January 2014 after a three-year stint with Benfica – has made remarkable progress since his first spell at Stamford Bridge.
"He’s been very impressive," said Di Matteo, who managed Chelsea to Champions League glory in 2012.
"There might have been a few doubts about his signing, with him coming back to the club, but he’s really impressed everybody within the team and all the supporters.
"He dictates the time of the team, he shields the back four very well and he has great distribution with his left foot. He has good vision as well. He’s matured very well as a player.
"I remember when he left, when he was a little younger, but he’s become an integral part of this team.
"Chelsea played against Benfica a couple of years back [in the first leg of a Champions League quarter-final] and he didn’t make the team, he came on as sub. So he’s really come along, he’s improved a lot as a player. He’s put a place down with the team."
Matic is on a run of 21 consecutive starts in the Premier League for Chelsea and Glenn Hoddle commended the way the defensive midfielder as adapted to England’s top flight.
“He has got to grips with the tempo of the game in the Premier League,” Hoddle told Sky Sports.
“When he was first here I thought he was a bit leggy – he’s a big lad – but he’s come back in and he’s dealt with that. He’s got vision, he plays with his head up and he looks forward.”
Chances
Whilst Matic’s header proved enough, Di Matteo says Chelsea should have converted more of their chances on the night.
The Blues fired 15 shots towards the Sporting goal – seven on target – but were unable to double their advantage in Portugal.
"When you have so many chances, you need to score that second goal which gives you a bit more piece of mind and you can control the game and make a few changes to the team," said Di Matteo.
"But the most important aspect of tonight was to win the game. It was 1-0, it could have been an easier night for the manager if they’d won 2-0 or 3-0, but their goalkeeper did well and the offensive players should have done better in the finishing."
Focus
However, while Di Matteo says the three points were all that mattered, former Chelsea forward Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink reckons boss Mourinho will be frustrated he wasn’t able to substitute the likes of Diego Costa ahead of the Super Sunday clash with Arsenal live on Sky this weekend.
Mourinho insisted before the game his focus was on the Champions League tie - but the former Netherlands international says it would have been impossible for the Portuguese to ignore the upcoming domestic clash.
"In Mourinho’s game plan, he expected to be up 2-0 or 3-0 up to be able to get Costa and Eden Hazard off," said Hasselbaink.
"He’s half thinking of Arsenal at the weekend. He can say 'no, I’m concentrating on Sporting' but he is thinking of Arsenal and if he could have given Costa 60 minutes instead of 95, he would have - and he would have been a lot happier."