The World On My Fingers

Chelsea Football Club officially announced on its website Monday morning that it has hired Italian Carlo Ancelotti to be its new coach.

The London club said it was ''delighted'' to have the ex-AC Milan coach aboard and that he had agreed to a three-year contract.

''Carlo was the outstanding candidate for the job. He has proved over a long period his ability to build teams that challenged for, and have been successful in, major domestic and European competitions,'' the club said, under a photo of Ancelotti holding a Chelsea jersey.

''He also had a highly successful playing career in those championships and therefore brings unparalleled all round experience to the job,'' the club added.

''We are sure everybody at Chelsea will give him a warm welcome and we are all looking forward to working with him,'' the statement ended.

In an interview posted on the website, the 49-year-old Ancelotti said being with Milan, both as player and coach, had been a great experience ''but now I think it is the right moment for a new challenge and I want to put all my energy for Chelsea''.

Until now Ancelotti has refused to either confirm or deny his future intention and on a Monday morning radio sports talk show even hinted he may take the Real Madrid bench.

''I'll have a lot to do today and tomorrow, then you'll know what my future holds. London and Madrid are major cities,'' he said.

Looking back at his time on the AC Milan bench, Ancelotti said: ''I had eight beautiful years but today new paths are open to me. Yesterday was a very special day, I went to dinner with the new coach (ex-Brazil and Milan midfielder Leonardo) and with (club CEO Adriano) Galliani. My relationship with the club remains good''.

Ancelotti, who was Serie A's longest-serving coach having joined Milan in 2001, had been linked with Chelsea for weeks.

During his tenure on the AC Milan bench, Ancelotti won a total of eight titles: a Serie A scudetto (2003-04), an Italian Super Cup (2004), an Italian Cup (2002-03), two Champions League (2002-03, 2006-07), a World Club Cup (2007) and two European Super Cups (2003,20078).

His successor Leonardo played with the club from 1997 to 2001, winning the 1999 scudetto, and again in 2003.

The Brazilian, who won the World Cup in 1994, played for the club a total of 97 times and scored 30 goals.

Until now Leonardo had been the club's technical director.

The Serie A season ended on Sunday with AC Milan clinching an important 0-2 away win against Fiorentina, which guaranteed it an automatic place in the next Champions League.

Had Fiorentina won with a two-goal advantage, Milan rather than the Florence club would have been forced into a preliminary Champions League qualification round.

Also on Sunday, AS Roma's 3-2 home win over Torino sent the guests into Serie B, especially after Bologna eliminated any risk of being relegated thanks to its 3-1 home win against Catania.

Reggina and Lecce will also drop to Serie B, from where Bari and Parma have already been promoted to the first division, while the final berth will be between Grosseto, Livorno, Empoli and Brescia.