TheSportsCampus

Chelsea boss Roberto Di Matteo has suggested that he is considering putting misfiring striker Fernando Torres on the bench when Chelsea play Juventus on Tuesday night. The striker had a terrible outing in their defeat to West Brom on Saturday and Di Matteo is considering handig Daniel Sturridge a starting berth for the crucial Champions League clash.

Torres has started each of his 19 games for Chelsea this season but has managed just 7 goals. Di Matteo pulled the striker off the field after a woeful 63 minute performance in their last league clash against West Brom and moved Sturridge into a central striking role, having deployed the Englishman on the wing at the start of the match. Despite Chelsea losing the game, Sturridge was a much bigger goal threat with his movement and ability to get behind the defence stand out features of his performance.

Di Matteo was quoted by ESPN as saying, “If I believe it is the right thing to do for the team, then yeah, I will leave him out. When we moved Daniel Sturridge up there, he looked a danger. He had a very good chance saved by the keeper and another put wide. He was always a threat to the defence. We need to score goals, this is clear.”

The Blues play their second last game of the group stages, sitting in second place with just a point more than their opponents on Tuesday. A loss at the Juventus Stadium could put their title defence in jeopardy and Di Matteo is prepared to ring in the changes to avoid making a humiliating early exit from the competition.

Di Matteo also called for a better defensive performance and the manager is hopeful that the Blues can salvage at least a point on Tuesday before they host Group E minnows FC Nordsjaelland in Matchday 6.