Ex-Chelsea manager Roberto Di Matteo has expressed that the fans did not fully appreciate Mikel Obi’s contributions during his decade-long tenure at Stamford Bridge. Mikel played a crucial role in the club’s successes, including the Premier League, Champions League, Europa League, FA Cup, and UEFA Super Cup.
Mikel Obi played a pivotal role in securing Chelsea’s first Champions League victory in 2012 under Di Matteo, triumphing over Bayern Munich in the final. Additionally, he clinched two Premier League titles and four FA Cups during his time with the club.
Speaking on The Obi One Podcast, Di Matteo acknowledged Mikel’s hard work for the team, drawing on his own experience in a similar role.
“I played in the same position as you, so I knew exactly what you go through in a game and what you feel,” Di Matteo said on The Obi One Podcast. “The role that you played in our team is a bit of an unsung hero role. You have to do a lot of work that the fans or the critics, in general, don’t really understand or appreciate. But because I played a similar role, I knew exactly how important you were for the team.”
Over his 14-year international career from 2005 to 2019, Mikel played 91 times for Nigeria, scoring six goals.