Roberto Di Matteo feels Pep Guardiola could struggle to replicate Barca's culture at another club after confirming his Camp Nou exit.
Blues boss unsure whether Spaniard could export Barca's culture
Roberto Di Matteo believes Pep Guardiola could struggle to replicate Barcelona's culture at another club after the Spaniard suddenly became available for the Chelsea job.
Less than three days after being outwitted by caretaker Blues boss Di Matteo in the UEFA Champions League semi-finals, Guardiola confirmed he was quitting as Barca manager at the end of the season.
Although he announced he planned to take a sabbatical, speculation is rife Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich will try to make him an offer he cannot refuse.
Abramovich is said to have long craved the concept of 'Barcelona in blue shirts', identifying Guardiola as the perfect manager to deliver that vision.
But Di Matteo said on Friday: "History tells us it's difficult to replicate the culture of a club into a different club.
"He (Guardiola) might be the first one to do it. But if you look back at history, it seems as if it's been different."
Future
You do not need to look back too far, with Di Matteo part of the Andre Villas-Boas regime that tried and failed to do just that before the latter was sacked almost two months ago.
Di Matteo's decision to go back to basics since taking charge has paid off spectacularly, culminating in Tuesday night's sensational comeback to beat Barca and reach the Champions League final.
Since then, the clamour for the 41-year-old to be handed the reins full-time has increased.
His hopes would appear to rest on whether Abramovich believes the Italian is also capable of producing the brand of football for which Guardiola is famed, or whether Tuesday's result has convinced him that the Barca model is not all it is cracked up to be.
Di Matteo was none the wiser on Friday about his long-term future.
"Nothing has changed from my point of view," he said, insisting he remained "very relaxed" about his lot.
"I'm still very happy to be able to get this club to the end of the season and then this club will make a decision as to what is best for the club."
