Chelsea Legend Zola Returns To Club As Assistant Coach

Chelsea great Gianfranco Zola has returned to the Premier League club as assistant to new head coach Maurizio Sarri.

The former Italy forward spent seven years at Stamford Bridge between 1996 and 2003, making 312 appearances and scoring 80 goals.

That haul included the winner in the 1998 European Cup Winners' Cup final against Stuttgart in Stockholm – one of four major honours Zola lifted with the west Londoners.

Zola headed straight off with Sarri and his squad to Perth for Chelsea's opening pre-season match.

The travelling party mixes youth with experience as Chelsea await the return of their World Cup stars but David Luiz, Marcos Alonso, Davide Zappacosta, Cesc Fabregas, Danny Drinkwater, Ross Barkley, Tiemoue Bakayoko, Alvaro Morata and new signing Jorginho are all present.