Not many Premier League heroes come anywhere close to the class, aptitude and sheer creativity of retired Italian baller Gianfranco Zola. He was an absolute magician and a visionary with a ball at his feet. Truly! He should be mentioned among the greatest ever.
And I was one football enthusiast who was lucky enough to view Zola's skills live and in the flesh. Not that it was particularly easy watching the attacker rip Leicester City apart as a Foxes fan. The man from Italy seemed to glide on the pitch whilst taking as many kicks as a UFC fighter - but still retaining poise. Simply magnificent.
In addition to seeing the Blues legend's amazing capabilities at Filbert Street, I also saw him dismantle England at Wembley, sadly. Yep, I was there as a young kid when Italy beat the Three Lions in a World Cup qualifier in 1997. Much of the rival fan base, including myself, gave Zola a standing ovation. A very rare scenario indeed.
But what did the 59-year-old say about the East Midlanders during Enzo Maresca's stint at the King Power?
Chelsea icon Gianfranco Zola on Leicester City's Enzo Maresca era
Needless to say, Zola is an admirer of his fellow countryman. The former spotted and noted Maresca's fine and notable work while he was at Leicester. As a matter of fact, he didn't see the latter as a Stamford Bridge gamble, as many associated with CFC did.
The current Blues head coach hadn't managed in the Premier League prior to arriving on Fulham Road. Yet Maresca had managerial experience with the Foxes and Parma in 'the old country'. UEFA Europa Conference League and FIFA Club World Cup triumphs turned skeptics into believers at Chelsea!
Recent praise emerged from ex-Manchester United centre back Phil Jones, not to mention Zola praising the 45-year-old. Though it is the former West London favourite's thoughts that we would like to share with you today:
"I didn’t know him personally before he came to Chelsea, but I had followed what he did at Leicester and could see that we were dealing with a serious coach. He’s worked with and for [Arrigo] Sacchi, Manuel Pellegrini, [Pep] Guardiola. He’s had an excellent grounding."
In the past, Zola has cited and backed other City managers. One example was Claudio Ranieri.