https://www.chelseafc.com/en/news/2021/05/26/
di-matteo-and-newton-s-munich-memories
Di Matteo and Newton's Munich memories
26 May 2021
Roberto Di Matteo and Eddie Newton were two of the coaches who led us to
Champions League glory in 2012 and the pair shared a few stories from that
incredible run to Munich, when we were crowned champions of Europe for the
first time.
https://i.imgur.com/vBrwMXZ.jpg
Just as this term, it was a mid-season managerial change that sparked a
run to the final of the Champions League that season, as Di Matteo was
promoted from his assistant manager role to replace Andre Villas-Boas. One
of his first acts was to add Eddie Newton, his fellow goalscorer from the
1997 FA Cup final, to his coaching ranks, rekindling a double act that had
previously worked wonders with MK Dons and West Brom.
Within a few weeks they had masterminded an unlikely comeback against
Napoli, overturning a 3-1 first-leg deficit, and then by May we were in
our second Champions League final, having beaten Benfica and Barcelona
along the way.
So, how did they do it? Both of the protagonists gave lengthy interviews
for the book Blue Day, which featured interviews with each of our 1997 FA
Cup winners, and within it the topic of Munich came up, which they both
addressed at length.
'We just got into the dressing room,' Newton said. 'Nothing special.
Nothing magical. We just got into the dressing room. One to one, asking
senior players their opinion and getting to know personalities.'
https://i.imgur.com/jG2yk4k.jpg
Eddie Newton offers some mid-game advice to Didier Drogba
Many may have seen the opportunity to manage Chelsea at that time as a
shot to nothing for Di Matteo, who had cruelly seen his playing career cut
short in 2000 through injury, but the Italian certainly didn't see it that
way. The contrast between playing and managing could not have been greater.
'No – with a capital N and capital O,' is his response when asked if he
felt anything like the pressure of being a manager during his playing
career. 'The responsibility is all with the manager. As a player, you can
share it with your team-mates – the enjoyment of the win or the pain of
defeat. As a manager it's just yourself. You carry all the responsibility.
'The experience you gain as a player will help you to be a manager, but
being a manager is completely different. For me, it's completely detached
from being a footballer player.'
https://i.imgur.com/N7Qrvpt.jpg
Di Matteo gees up his players during the Champions League final
One thing that never changes in football, whether you're a player or a
manager, is superstition; for all the millions spent at the highest level,
the countless hours of preparation, some still believe in fate.
That was clearly a factor ahead of Munich, as Newton recalls.
'Petr Cech had told me that at Moscow in 2008 [when we lost the final to
Manchester United] everything around them was red,' he said. 'In Munich,
the stadium was blue, everything was blue this time. Little things like
that get in to the mentality of players. It does. Just that little thing
to make it feel, “It's our time.”
'I had to go to the meetings before the game and the Champions League
trophy was there. Some guy from Bayern said, “You should go and touch it,
pick it up. Take a picture.” No, no, no, mate. I'll do that after the
game. Don't play those games. I've been in football a long time, I said.
Don't play those games with me.'
Still, that mindset of being a player hadn't left either Newton or Di
Matteo, and a number of our squad from that game have spoken about an
inspirational meeting on the eve of the game that gave everyone added
motivation.
https://i.imgur.com/JRHXevt.jpg
Getting their hands on the trophy at last - Newton, Di Matteo and Steve
Holland who was the other assistant
At the team hotel, a video was played to the squad, featuring messages
from their nearest and dearest.
'It was just a little bit of a personal touch,' recalled Di Matteo. 'I
will tell you, that removed a lot of tension and nervousness from the
room. I remember that very well. It was a surprise for the team. It's a
big game. As cool as everyone wants to be, the night before a big game you
are a little bit tense.
'That was a little personal touch to show them everyone was with us – the
wives, parents, children. When we went into the room, there was tension.
After the meeting, I cannot give you a reason why, but the players were a
bit more relaxed. You could feel it.
'I can't remember the inspiration [for the idea]. I just thought... behind
the players, who spend a lot of time away from home, there is a wife,
parents for the younger players, always someone you leave behind. I just
wanted to do something different.
'We tracked down Michael Essien's mother in Africa and she recorded a
message for him. Michael was very close to her. There were a few tears,
but it was funny as well.'
Of course, no one needs any reminder of what happened next, as the Blues
defied the odds once more to become London's first Champions League
winners. It came after almost a decade of disappointment in the
competition, when we'd come so close on so many occasions…
'To go into their home patch and take them on and win – that's special,'
adds Newton. 'Especially to win the club's first Champions League. When
they brought down that banner – our city, our stadium, our trophy – I
thought, “You cheeky... all right, all right. Here we go.” I went into
the dressing room and said, “I'm not having that, by the way. Come on.”
Everyone was together.
https://i.imgur.com/WAU4qmM.jpg
Di Matteo ended up in the pool at the team hotel
'We should have known it was our time just from the Barcelona game. After
that, I said, “If we don't win the Champions League this time we are
never winning it!”
'And then it was a great night. I remember sitting down next to Florent
Malouda afterwards and giving him a hug. You could see, he was looking
into the abyss, as if to say: “I've finally done it.” He was just
sitting there. It was a picture, looking at all the faces. The club had
been chasing this for a long time.'