Italian tactical treat
Zola relishing battle of wits between Conte and Ranieri
LONDON: Former Chelsea star Gianfranco Zola is relishing the prospect of two of his Italian countrymen – Antonio Conte and ex-Chelsea boss Claudio Ranieri – locking horns as the Blues and defending champions Leicester clash in the English Premier League tomorrow.
“I think it is a great moment for Ranieri to go back to Stamford Bridge, and I am sure people will be cheering him for what he has achieved. His team have done fantastically well,” said Zola.
“Obviously, in the Premier League they are having it a bit more difficult, but they have started the Champions league in a great way, which is very important.
“It is going in the right direction again, and I am sure it will be another great season for them.
“I think it is going to be a good game, between two teams who are very competitive, and who are coming into good form.”
Zola said Chelsea have to make the most of their “holiday” from European football, and expects Conte’s changes to really kick in against Leicester and then Manchester United.
The former Stamford Bridge legend said defeats to Liverpool and Arsenal after Conte started with a five-match winning streak shows there is still plenty of work to do. But he clearly feels Conte will get it right, and he expects his former club to be challenging for honours at the end of the season.
He said: “I am sure they will see this as an opportunity to make a statement.
“Conte would prefer it if these two fixtures did not come straight after the international break, when so many of his players were away. But Chelsea will still be strong.
“They started the season very well and then had a setback, but they are picking up again. Sometimes, losing can help you improve.
“It will be important for Chelsea how quickly they can adapt to the new system Conte has introduced. I know he is a very hard-working coach, and I am sure they will be doing everything to make this work.
“Chelsea had a bad patch, but they were very good in their last game at Hull.
And for them it’s certainly an advantage not to be playing in the Champions League.
“Chelsea and Liverpool are the two teams in the top bracket who do not have European competition, which is a good bonus.
“But teams like Manchester City and Arsenal have so many quality players they can rotate and still be competitive in other competitions.
So Chelsea and Liverpool will have to keep up a very high standard to make the advantage tell.”
Zola was speaking not far from his old stamping ground, after taking part in the British Masters ProAm at the Grove, near Watford, with former team-mates Andriy Shevchenko and Carlo Cudicini. — The Sun, London