• Premier League

Di Matteo happy to be unpopular

ESPN staff
October 1, 2012
Roberto Di Matteo says Chelsea will continue to be unpopular as long as they carry on winning © PA Photos
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Roberto Di Matteo admits he is not expecting to make any friends as Chelsea sit three points clear at the top of the Premier League table.

The Blues passed the first major test of their title ambitions as they came away from Arsenal with maximum points on Saturday.

The arrival of Eden Hazard and Oscar is likely to earn Chelsea a few more admirers, but Di Matteo admits successful teams are rarely popular with neutrals.

"I think when you are a winning team, you are never loved," he said. "Teams that win trophies they are never loved. That's in the history of football. So it's as easy as that."

While Di Matteo continues to aspire to the Barcelona model - to turn Chelsea into an entertaining, successful and popular side, he admits he is pursuing a pipe dream.

"Barcelona is great, yeah, but it's a unique model that nobody has been able to replicate in the world, so far."

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.
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