22nd August, 2012
Brazilian midfielder Ramires has recovered from illness and could feature for Chelsea against promoted Reading in the European champions’ first home Premier League match of the new season today.
Chelsea’s coach, Roberto Di Matteo said he expected a stern challenge from Reading in their English Premier League cracker tonight at Stamford Bridge.
“I’m very wary of newly promoted teams like Reading and Southampton,” he told a news conference yesterday.
“It’s a very difficult game when you play a newly promoted team early on, full of enthusiasm and spirit. You sometimes look
at it and think you don’t want to change a winning team but it doesn’t always work like that.”
Chelsea opened their league campaign with a 2-0 win at Wigan Athletic on Sunday and are looking to win their opening two
league matches for the eighth time in the last 10 seasons. They also have a fine record against promoted teams at
Stamford Bridge. Chelsea are unbeaten in their last 33 home matches against them stretching back over 11 years, since losing
1-0 to Charlton Athletic in April 2001.
Reading have drawn three and lost the other three of their six league visits to the Bridge. Di Matteo was full of praise for Reading manager Brian McDermott, whose side won automatic promotion last season.
“He has done a wonderful job. They had a great run in the second half of the season. I followed the Championship a lot and
they’re difficult to play against.
“They don’t concede many goals and are a threat on the counter-attack. I always found it hard to play against Brian McDermott’s teams.”