Chelsea Legend Fully Trusts Club Under Xabi Alonso

Gianfranco Zola, one of Chelsea's greatest legends, responsible for the team winning multiple titles in the late 1990s, had an interview with The Daily Mail in which he explained a bit about his past at the club, his favorite moments during his time at Stamford Bridge, and what he senses will happen with Xabi Alonso's arrival on the bench, among other things.

Regarding what he expects in the team's immediate future with the arrival of the Spanish manager, Zola said: "We all know it hasn't been a good season, but we all know we will come back strong. I'm looking forward to the next season. It's going to be challenging, but I think we will do well under Xabi."

The former Italian footballer, who played 312 matches and scored 80 goals wearing the Chelsea shirt, now spends most of his time in Sardinia, an Italian island where he grew up. However, it is not unusual to see him at Stamford Bridge a few times per season, because he remains in love with what was his home. He enjoys being able to watch his team and be just another fan.

He was asked what his favorite moment was during his time at Chelsea, to which he replied: "I have a long list of very good memories at Chelsea. I had a fantastic time over there. The highlight was probably the first FA Cup win (a 2-0 victory over Middlesbrough in 1997, in which Zola set up Eddie Newton's second). I always rate that as one of the best moments of my career. It was the first love, and you never forget that."

Alonso has a lot of work to do, both to help certain players recover their best form and to decide which players should leave and which others should arrive. Managing the squad will not be a simple matter, because certain positions are overpopulated, such as center-back, and others, such as the wings, are quite lacking. Let us remember that both Alejandro Garnacho and Jamie Gittens do not appear to be in the plans for next season.

Some of the names being mentioned to reinforce Chelsea include Ousmane Diomande for center-back. Despite having just mentioned an overpopulation in that area, there are plans to sell Tosin Adarabioyo and Benoit Badiashile due to their lack of consistency last season. On the offensive side, the club has already signed young Dastan Satpaev, who, despite being a natural center forward, can also play on the wing.