Roman Abramovich is furious at Chelsea's Champions League exit and will decide on Carlo Ancelotti's future at the end of the season.
Standard Sport understands the billionaire owner is not prepared to make a knee-jerk reaction following last night's quarter-final defeat to Manchester United but the coach's position at the club looks bleak.
Ancelotti, whose deal runs out next summer, is expected to pay a heavy price for the club's failure to win a trophy this term even though he claimed the Double last season.
A source close to Abramovich revealed that the Russian expected performances to improve following his £75million investment in Fernando Torres and David Luiz in January and is concerned over the lack of effort and team spirit his highly-paid players have shown.
There were no showdown talks at the training ground today like those which followed the defeat to Inter Milan at the round-of-16 stage last season and the players reported for a basic warm-down as usual. While Abramovich is frustrated that the club have underachieved, he is still as committed as ever and will not walk away from Stamford Bridge.
He is determined to see the club win the Champions League for the first time and is planning to provide more money for new signings in the summer.
Last month a source close to some senior players in the dressing room described Ancelotti's status at the club as a "dead man walking". However, any upheaval now could put their hopes of qualifying for next season's Champions League at risk with the team only five points ahead of fifth-placed Tottenham.
Another Italian revealed today he would be interested in the Chelsea job if it became available.
Marcello Lippi won the 2006 World Cup as Italy coach but has been out of the game since quitting the Azzurri last year following a poor defence of their title in South Africa.
The 63-year-old said on Italian radio: "I miss coaching and the desire to do my job is still there. The future? I'd love to coach in the Premier League. Chelsea? It'd be nice but also to lead a national team would not hurt."
