Premiership: Chelsea tribute for retired di Matteo

Chelsea have paid tribute to Roberto di Matteo following the Italian's retirement.

Di Matteo failed to recover from a triple fracture of a leg suffered against St Gallen in September 2000.

Chelsea managing director Colin Hutchinson said: "This is devastating news and we feel for Roberto.

"Not only was he an outstanding player for Chelsea but he is a genuine nice guy.

"He will rightly have a prominent place in Chelsea's history and we wish him and his family well for the future. He will always be welcome here."

He will be remembered at Stamford Bridge as the integral man behind two triumphant FA Cup campaigns, in 1997 and 2000.

He scored the fastest-ever cup final goal against Middlesbrough and registered the solitary Wembley strike against Aston Villa three years later.

Di Matteo said: "I have worked hard to get back but unfortunately I am still experiencing problems and I have had to face up to the situation that my playing days are over.

"I have loved my time at Chelsea and am glad to have played a part in bringing success to the club and fans who have always been great to me.

"It's been depressing, it's been terrible. It's a difficult moment in any player's life to have an injury like this," he said.

"You have to fight every day to recover from something like that.

"It's been really bad but I've learned to deal with depression, frustration and anger, which I never really knew before. It made me realise that not everything is beautiful in life."