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Gianfranco Zola greeted three Chelsea players – including ‘complete player’ Mason Mount – after the Blues’ Champions League triumph.
A 1-0 win over Manchester City in Porto gave Chelsea their second Champions League title and Zola was ‘thrilled’ for his former club.
‘It was amazing. I am very happy and delighted for this team, for the club, for the supporters, ”Zola told talkSPORT.
“They won against arguably the best team around and they totally deserved it. They played good football, scored a good goal and then controlled the game well. It was a complete performance.
Zola reserved special praise for Mount, Kai Havertz and Thiago Silva after Chelsea’s victory at the Estadio do Dragao.
“He’s become a complete player,” Zola said of England international Mount. “He can attack, he can score, he can assist and defend.
“It is necessary in modern football. Before, if you could score goals you could do it, but now if you want to be successful you have to work really hard. We saw it the other day.
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It was Havertz’s goal in the first half that brought Chelsea to Champions League glory and Zola added: “Kai gave us a surprise the other day.
“No one has ever doubted his qualities in terms of technique and intelligence. Maybe we thought he wasn’t finding his good position on the pitch and was not affecting the game as much.
“He proved people wrong because he performed so well for the team. This position suits him and suits Chelsea a lot.
Silva’s first season at Chelsea ended abruptly after the Brazilian defender suffered a first-half injury against Man City.
It was a disappointing sight for Chelsea fans, but Zola still praised the 36-year-old for his influence on the team this season.
“I think one of the successes of this Chelsea side has been that they were able to mix talented young players with more good experienced players,” said Zola, who was Maurizio Sarri’s assistant at Chelsea.
“I think it’s a really good mix. You have to have both because they both push each other.
“Thiago, I don’t know him personally, but I can see the way he behaves on the pitch and the way he plays, he must be very important for young people, in terms of example and conduct. field.
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