Chelsea Boss Roberto Di Matteo has
admitted that Manchester City and
Manchester United are
still ahead of the Blues despite their
considerable summer spending in terms of getting titles in the new
season. Chelsea has added attacking midfielders Eden Hazard, Marko
Marin and Oscar to his squad so far this summer at a combined fee
around £65 million.
Chelsea will face City in the Community Shield on Sunday
and Di Matteo predicted that they would prove the team to beat as
defending champions of europe,
with United not trailing far behind,
"[Manchester City] are last season's champions of the EPL," Di Matteo
said "They'll be the team to
beat, even though United seems very close to them. "Those two teams
are probably a little bit ahead, but the
champions we will want to chase."In addition to this weekend's
pre-season curtain-raiser,Chelsea will compete in the Uefa Super Cup
and Fifa Club World
Cup this season as a result of their FA Cup and Champions
League victories last season. Di Matteo recognised the
opportunity to challenge for extra silverware but also task his team
to improve their final Premier League position after finishing sixth
during the 2011-12 EPL.
"Our biggest aim, or our ambition, is to be able to be challenging at
the right end of
the season for the trophies that are still available," he mused.
"We are going to be in a couple of competitions which are new to us,
so they're an opportunity
for the club and the players, but we certainly have to do better in
the Premier League come the new season." Chelsea adopted a largely
defensive style as they secured European glory last season, but
owner Roman Abramovich is said to admire the 'tiki-taka'
philosophy that has helped Barcelona to dominate domestic
and continental competition in the last 10 years. Di Matteo was
certain that his side, aided by their new signings, would entertain
Blues
fans but warned that no team could truly replicate the football
played presently by the Catalan club.
"Everybody would like to play like Barcelona, but there isn't another
team in the world who plays like them," he stated. "It's a culture, a
way of life, a style they've produced through
the club for a long time and there's only one Lionel Messi around the world.
"The owner's wills to win has never decreased,He wants to
win, and he backs it up with needed resources."It will be a challenge
for us, for
sure, to match the best in Europe and I'm not preaching we'll be this
or that but i believe we will do our best. We're going to be trying to
win in the
way we're capable of, We'll have some good games, I'm sure and certain
about. "I'm excited by these new
players we've signed. You look at what they've done at their previous
clubs, and trying to bring them
together to express their qualities for the team will be so exciting.
"But I don't think you should
expect a completely different Chelsea overnight,"
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