London - Following the 3-0 Chmpions League defeat last night by Chelsea football club against the Italian club Juventus, Roman Abramovich, the owner of the English Premier League Club, sacked the manager Roberto Di Mateo. Abramovich is known to be a long-term admirer of Pep Guardiola, the former Barcelona manager but it is unclear whether the former Barcelona coach can be tempted back into management.

Chelsea have made contact with former Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez to gauge his interest in taking charge on a short-term basis. The club's board met earlier on Wednesday and their next appointment is likely to be a short-term role rather than a long-term replacement for Di Matteo, according to media reports.

In the statement announcing Di Matteo's sacking on Wednesday morning,  Chelsea said they hoped to announce a new manager "shortly".

Chelsea, who are looking for a ninth manager since Abramovich took over in 2003, contacted Benitez before Tuesday's defeat in Italy as he assessed his options.

Benitez, 52, who is currently in Abu Dhabi, has been out of work since he was sacked by Inter Milan in December 2010 after just six months in charge, but has made it clear he is interested in the job.

He joined Liverpool from Valencia in 2004 and won the Champions League in 2005, as well as reaching the final in 2007, before leaving Anfield by mutual consent in 2010.

Asked if Chelsea had approached him, he said: "In football a lot of people are talking so we will see what happens in the next few days. I am looking for a club that can challenge for trophies and Chelsea is one of these clubs."

When Benitez was asked about the prospect of managing on a short-term basis, he added: "I have to talk with my agent and see what he has been doing the last couple of days.

"But I am just trying to go to a team that can win. So we will find ways to have a challenge like this."

Di Matteo won the Champions League and FA Cup as caretaker manager last season and was given a two-year deal in June.

But in the wake of the defeat to Juventus, which has left the Blues on the brink of a Champions League exit, he has left Stamford Bridge after just eight months in charge.

After an impressive start to the season, the Blues have won two of their last eight games.

They sit third in the Premier League table, four points behind leaders Manchester City, who they host at Stamford Bridge on Sunday.

Chelsea could become the first Champions League holders to exit at the group stage of the competition.

Former West Brom and MK Dons manager Di Matteo, 42, who had been working as assistant manager at Stamford Bridge, replaced Andre Villas-Boas in March.

The ex-midfielder won the FA Cup twice and made 175 appearances for the Blues between 1996 and 2002, and took over as boss in the wake of Chelsea's 3-1 defeat to Napoli in the first leg of their Champions.
But they overturned that deficit with a 4-1 win at Stamford Bridge and secured a 2-2 draw at Barcelona in the semi-final second leg despite having John Terry sent off in the first half at the Nou Camp.

After beating Liverpool 2-1 in the FA Cup final, they beat Bayern Munich in a dramatic penalty shoot-out in the Champions League final.

And after the arrivals of new sign ups Eden Hazard, Oscar and Victor Moses, they suffered just one defeat in their opening 12 matches before the recent downturn.

At 262 days in charge, Di Matteo lasted longer than previous Abramovich managers Villas-Boas (256), Avram Grant (247) and Luiz Felipe Scolari (223).