Jinxed: Is this former Chelsea coach, not Ancelotti, the unluckiest in the game?

Much of the European media spotlight this week has been focussed on the departure of a former Chelsea manager from a big team, but a second ex-Blues boss has also become unemployed - slightly under the radar.

Carlo Ancelotti was given his marching orders at Real Madrid, despite finishing just two points adrift of La Liga winners Barcelona and delivering four trophies in two years in the Spanish capital - including the Champions League.

Another manager to win Europe’s top prize, this time with the Stamford Bridge club, is Roberto Di Matteo, who left Schalke by mutual consent this week also.

The Italian trainer has shown during his short managerial tenure that he has all the hallmarks of a successful head coach, but the retired midfielder will be cursing his luck with his last two employers.

At Chelsea, Di Matteo cobbled together a makeshift squad ravaged by injury and led them to European glory, defying the odds and beating Barcelona and Bayern Munich along the way.

The achievement in 2012 was something that illustrious managers, such as Jose Mourinho, had not delivered in the past and will put Di Matteo’s name down in the West London outfit’s history books.

With the Champions League Roman Abramovich’s holy grail, it was expected that the successful manager, who was fulfilling the role on a caretaker basis following the dismissal of Andre Villas Boas, would be handed the position permanently.

Although Di Matteo was finally backed with a two-year deal at the club, it was not before Abramovich and the powers that be dragged their heels - largely suspected to be as they tried to lure Pep Guardiola to Stamford Bridge.

Although the following campaign did not go as fortuitously for Di Matteo as the one prior, the 45-year-old was not given much time to prove himself and was sacked from the position after just eight months in the role, despite wining two major trophies.

This lack of faith and backing for a manager that led the club to become European champions was nothing short of disgraceful.

Di Matteo will have had plenty of options to get straight back into work but carefully considered his next position.

After almost two years away from the game, the Italian took on the unenviable role of managing Schalke in October 2014.

Initially the signs were good that Di Matteo could help the Gelsenkirchen side to get back amongst German football’s elite, with the team recording victories and rising up the table.

However, despite beating Real Madrid at the Bernabeu and leading Schalke from 11th place to sixth in his short tenure with the Bundesliga club, this not seemingly not good enough.

Di Matteo left Schalke this week citing a disagreement with the club’s directors over the best way to lead the club forward.

There is no doubting that the Italian has had two employers with questionable expectations and outlooks on the game over the last couple of years.

With the former Chelsea man now available, a club that is willing to back Di Matteo and give him time is needed for the Italian to get back on track.