EXCLUSIVE: Zola fears Chelsea trio leaving
It is not often that a conversation with Gianfranco Zola brings Meat Loaf to mind.
But that truly awful song — even by the standards of dreary rock ballads — Two Out of Three Ain’t Bad, is what Zola thinks Thomas Tuchel should aim for from his defensive dilemma.
Loyal club captain Cesar Azpilicueta, aggressive campaigner Antonio Rudiger and silky Andreas Christensen are free to talk to rivals and could walk away come May, ripping the heart out of Tuchel’s back line.
Chelsea’s German manager has to juggle finances, emotion and the harsh world of professional football to pick a way out of the problem.
If Tuchel and the people above him do not move fast, Chelsea will be forced into a major reshuffle at the back with the squad on the cusp of something special.
Former Chelsea striker and assistant boss Zola admits finding a solution is one of the toughest challenges Tuchel will face in his time as head coach.
The man voted Chelsea’s best ever player by the fans said: “It’s a particular situation because they are three players from the same position.
“We are talking about two of them being key players and have been very successful at the club. Right now, they are playing all the time — that is Rudiger and Azpilicueta.
“The third one hasn’t played as much but is the youngest. At the same time you don’t want to lose a good prospect like Christensen.”