There were eyebrows raised when Di Matteo was handed caretaker charge of Chelsea in March 2012 following the sacking of Andre Villas-Boas, but the Italian more than repaid the club's faith as he led the club to the FA Cup and then the Champions League.

As a player, he began his career in the Swiss leagues before sealing a free transfer to Lazio in 1993. There the cultured midfielder became a fixture in the side, before falling out with coach Zdenek Zeman and moving to Chelsea in 1996 for a then-club record for £4.9 million.
His passing ability and accurate long-distance shooting marked him out as a star performer and during his six years at the club he collected two FA Cups, a League Cup, a UEFA Cup Winners' Cup and the Super Cup. He also played for Italy 44 times, scoring two goals, and was in their squad for Euro 1996 and the 1998 World Cup.
A triple leg fracture in a UEFA Cup tie against Swiss side St. Gallen in 2000 essentially ended his playing days and he retired the following season.
Taking a break from the game, it wasn't until July 2008 that he would make his move into management. He had begun qualifying for his UEFA coaching licences while still playing - completing his "B" licence during his time with Chelsea - and was given the job of replacing Paul Ince at Milton Keynes Dons. In his first season, he led them to third place in League One but lost in the play-off semi-finals on penalties to Scunthorpe.
West Bromwich Albion then moved to appoint Di Matteo as a replacement for Tony Mowbray and, though it was seen as a gamble given the Italian's lack of experience, he kept faith with the club's attacking style and led them to the Premier League at the first attempt.
Back in the top-flight, he started well and after five games they had accumulated seven points, their best start to a Premier League season. All was rosy until December rolled around and a run of one win in ten games proved enough for the board to act, despite their early form. Di Matteo was sacked after a 3-0 defeat to Man City on February 5, 2011.
The following summer he joined Chelsea as assistant manager to Villas-Boas and, only eight months later, found himself in charge of a club that looked to be in disarray. He began with a victory over Birmingham in the FA Cup before galvanising the club with a 4-1 victory over Napoli to rescue their Champions League hopes. Placating the disaffected big-name stars while often springing surprises in his selections, Di Matteo steered the Blues to FA Cup success with victory over Liverpool before becoming the first manager to lead the club to Champions League glory as they defeated Bayern Munich on penalties.
After some deliberation, owner Roman Abramovich finally named Di Matteo the club's new permanent manager.
Strengths: Pragmatic, adaptable and diplomatic, Di Matteo's successes as caretaker came from a recognition of the players' key strengths, but his background as a player and manager suggests he has a proclivity for more attractive football.
Weaknesses: Despite his successes, Di Matteo remains relatively inexperienced and the transition to a more attractive style of football could test his leadership skills.
Career high: Becoming the first manager in the club's history to win the Champions League.
Career low: His sacking as West Brom manager despite leading the club to promotion was a shock and appeared to have derailed his career.
Tactics: Di Matteo had used 4-5-1 during his early career and was committed to attacking football, but at Chelsea his tactics were always tailored to the occasion. While the Blues received criticism for their negative approach in the Champions League, it was not representative of Di Matteo's philosophy.
Quotes: ''Robbie is unflustered. He doesn't panic and he doesn't make rash, quick decisions. He is a deep thinker on the game. He's bright - he speaks five different languages for goodness sake.'' West Brom sporting director Dan Ashworth.
Trivia: Di Matteo held the record for the fastest ever goal in an FA Cup final - 42 seconds - when he scored in 1997, although Everton's Louis Saha has since broken the record.