Following the retirements of Sir Alex Ferguson and Jupp Heynckes, there are few clubs in Europe who can lay claim to having a Champions League-winning coach in charge.

Yet Roberto Di Matteo’s Schalke are one of them.

Chelsea, Bayern Munich and Real Madrid are the only other clubs in the competition to be led by a coach already successful in Europe’s elite club competition, meaning the Royal Blues are in illustrious company.

They host Sporting Lisbon on Wednesday night, with Di Matteo looking to keep his pursuit going to join Jose Mourinho, Carlo Ancelotti, Heynckes, Ottmar Hitzfeld and Ernst Happel in an exclusive group of coaches to have won the title with two clubs.

“We’re delighted to be in the Champions League because this is a pretty special competition,” said the man who guided Chelsea to glory in 2012.

“We hope still to be in Europe after Christmas too, and these two games against Sporting are crucial for that.”

Last time out, Schalke – then under Di Matteo’s predecessor, Jens Keller – were held to a 1-1 draw at home by Maribor.

That result has left Group G wide open, even if leaders Chelsea will be the favourites to go through.

“I have not discarded Maribor yet,” said Di Matteo. “That is why these two games (against Sporting) are so important.”

Two wins out of two would allow the Royal Blues to go into their game against the Slovenians needing probably only one win to go through to the last 16, but Sporting need the points too to keep their hopes alive having drawn one and lost one of their opening matches.

“We can’t afford to let Sporting get into the game,” said Italian Di Matteo, who liked what he saw on his debut on the Schalke bench at the weekend.

“The atmosphere was amazing. The fans really created a fantastic atmosphere and got behind the team for 90 minutes, and that really impressed me.

“That’s what I want also against Lisbon. That win did us all good and now I hope we can keep another three points in Schalke.”

Sporting ended league rivals Porto’s 11-game unbeaten run with victory in the Portuguese Cup at the weekend, extending their own unbeaten start to the season domestically to eight games.

Summer recruit Nani was on target again on Saturday and the Portuguese side’s hopes will be pinned on their own man who has already won the Champions League, and who says he feels at home back in Lisbon.

“The main thing that has gone through my head is how happy I am to be here and to be close to the people I like,” said the 27-year-old to Champions Magazine.

“The people like me too.”

Source Foxsports