EXCLUSIVE: Benitez lined up to replace Di Matteo if Guardiola snubs deal

Roberto di Matteo will pay for a crushing  setback at Juventus last night, with Rafa Benitez lined up to replace him if Pep  Guardiola refuses to take over at Chelsea before the summer.
A 3-0 defeat here leaves Chelsea in serious  danger of becoming the first Champions League winners to suffer the humiliation  of failing to progress beyond the group stage.
It took Di Matteo 75 minutes before he  emerged afterwards and reflected on a run of one win in five games that has seen  his team surrender the initiative in the Premier League and teeter on the brink  of the Europa League.
‘It’s a big disappointment for the team, for  the club,’ said the Italian, who must now lift his side for the visit of league  leaders Manchester City on Sunday.
‘There was a lot of reflection. I am  responsible for the result and performance. It’s a negative evening and if  anyone has to take the blame it’s me. I selected a team I thought was the right  team to win, or get a draw.’
Chelsea must beat Danish side Nordsjaelland  in their final Group E game in two weeks and hope Juventus lose to Shakhtar  Donetsk, who thrashed the Danes 5-2 last night. Shakhtar, who are definitely  through, and Juve will both qualify at Chelsea’s expense  if they draw in  Ukraine  next month.
Di Matteo, took  more than an hour to emerge for his post-match press conference but he said that  was not because he had  been grilled by senior club executives, added: ‘It is still possible to qualify. Where there  is hope you must try. We have to do our job and win the last group game. Ten  points is usually enough. Sometimes it’s not but a lot of times it  is.
‘I am responsible for the results. I am still  here and as far as I’m concerned I will be for the future. I’m going to keep  working.’
Asked if he was confident he would still be  in charge for the final group game and beyond, the Italian said: ‘At the moment,  I think, with the team we are all in it together.
‘At the moment, I am here and I think I will  be for the future.
‘It’s probably not a question you should ask  me but, as far as I’m concerned, I’ll keep working.’
Asked if sacking him would be fair  considering everything he achieved last season, he added: “I’m the wrong person  to answer that question.’
Roman Abramovich views Guardiola as the  long-term successor to Di Matteo, who lifted the European Cup in May.
But if the former Barcelona boss insists on  spending the rest of the season out of the game, Sportsmail  understands the billionaire owner will ask Benitez to take charge on a lucrative  contract until the end of the season.
If he fails to convince the Spaniard,  Abramovich could even turn to former manager Avram Grant to hold the fort  again.
Benitez has been out of work since  losing  his job at Inter Milan in 2010 but remains one of Europe’s most  highly-rated  coaches.
He also has a strong working relationship  with  misfiring striker Fernando Torres, who was dumped on the bench in Turin, where Fabio Quagliarella, Arturo Vidal and Sebastian Giovinco scored  for  Juventus.
Petr Cech, captain in the absence of  John  Terry and Frank Lampard, said: ‘It is very sad. Last season the  Champions  League was like a dream. I won’t say it’s a nightmare but this is a huge  disappointment.
‘We had our destiny in our own hands  but not  any more. Being realistic, Juventus need a point. Shakhtar are  already  qualified, so they don’t need to take a chance.’
Juventus assistant manager Angelo  Alessio  rubbished suggestions the Italian champions would not play  competitively at  Shakhtar in a game neither side need to win.
He said: ‘We’re not used to going out trying  to gain a draw. We will go there wanting to win.’
Last season’s miracle against Napoli  may  give Chelsea hope. They recovered from a 3-1  first-leg defeat in  February  to reach the quarter-finals — but not without sacking Andre  Villas-Boas between  legs.
Former Liverpool boss Benitez, 52, rejected a  short-term deal at Stamford Bridge last season.