De Zerbi and Amorim Linked to Chelsea: How Former Italian and Portuguese Managers Performed

• Mauricio Pochettino's first season at Chelsea is most likely his last
• The club have reportedly drawn up a list of managers to take over
• The fans have named their choice based on an interesting metric

Mauricio Pochettino's first season at Chelsea could be his last, with the club already in search of replacements for the Argentine if he cannot secure European football next season.

The Blues had an opportunity to be in Europe next season by winning the Carabao Cup, but lost to Liverpool through a 118th-minute header from Virgil van Dijk.

Per The Guardian, the club have identified Sporting CP boss, Ruben Amorim, and Roberto De Zerbi from Brighton as potential replacements in the summer.

The two names have divided the fanbase, but the debates on X (formerly Twitter) have become a nationality debate, looking at which of their two countries has produced more successful managers for their teams.

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Sports Brief examines how the former Italian and Portuguese managers fared at Chelsea.

Chelsea's former Italian managers

1. Gianluca Vialli

Per The Telegraph, the late Vialli was the first Italian to manage in the Premier League when Chelsea hired him as player/manager in 1998. He won five trophies as head coach - the FA Cup, League Cup, UEFA Cup Winners' Cup, Community Shield, and UEFA Super Cup - also winning the first three as a player. He passed away on January 2023 after a prolonged battle with cancer.

2. Claudio Ranieri

The highlight of Ranieri's job in England was winning the Premier League title with Leicester City. Despite managing for four years, he never won any trophy at Chelsea, but he built a part of the core that helped the club to multiple trophies years after. He was the first casualty of Roman Abramovich's hiring and firing.

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3. Carlo Ancelotti

Ancelotti was in charge for two seasons and won the league and cup double in his first year. He was dismissed at the end of the second despite finishing second to Manchester United. Per Opta Analyst, his Chelsea squad were the first Premier League side to score over 100 goals in a season, with 103 in 2009/10.

4. Roberto Di Matteo

He was the most successful Italian to manage the club, and the fans won't argue that too much. As interim manager in 2012, he won the highly coveted UEFA Champions League, the club's first, also winning the FA Cup. He was sacked months into his first full season as permanent boss.

5. Antonio Conte

Conte, like Ancelotti, was in charge for two seasons. He won the title in the first year after switching to a 3-4-3 formation following a 3-0 loss to Arsenal. He won the FA Cup in his second year, but a fifth-place league finish meant he was sacked.

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6. Maurizio Sarri

Maurizio Sarri replaced his compatriot at the start of the 2018/19 season; he guided the team to a third-place finish and won the UEFA Europa League unbeaten, defeating London rivals, Arsenal, 4-1 in the final. He left after one year and returned to Italy with Juventus.

Chelsea's former Portuguese managers

1. Jose Mourinho

The greatest to ever manage the Blues and the foundation of Abramovich's successful years at the club. The Russian oligarch hired him after helping Porto to the 2004 Champions League. He won the title in his first two seasons, the club's first in 50 years, but he was sacked in the third season.

He returned to the club in 2013 and won his third title in the second season before leaving again in 2015. Per 90min, he would not turn down the chance to return for a third spell after he was sacked at AS Roma in January.

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2. Andre Villas-Boas

He came to Stamford Bridge from Porto like Mourinho but spent only eight months before he was fired after a run of poor results emanating from clashes with senior players. He is currently out of football management and pursuing a career in motorsport.

The fans who have argued that De Zerbi is the best fit may have a point, as Italians have been more successful at the London club. On the other hand, Amorim is coming straight from Portugal and is referred to as the next Mourinho, a similar tag placed on Villas-Boas, who did not work out.

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Sports Brief also analysed five reasons Mourinho is perfect for Chelsea, with the club looking to replace current boss, Pochettino, at the end of the season.

The fans at Stamford Bridge have sung their former manager's name on a few occasions, particularly after the home loss to Wolverhampton Wanderers.