Saturday 19 May 2018 07:56, UK
Gianluca Vialli has warned Chelsea to think carefully before parting company with manager Antonio Conte.
Conte leads his side out at Wembley on Saturday for the FA Cup final against Manchester United with speculation growing it could be his last game in charge of the Blues.
Former Chelsea striker Vialli - who was managing a Chelsea Legends side against an Inter Forever team in memory of Ray Wilkins - believes his compatriot Conte has done well at Stamford Bridge.
"If I was Antonio I would think twice about leaving Chelsea, if I was Chelsea I would think three times about letting Antonio go," he told Sky Sports News. "It's a good match and I hope it will continue.
"I think he has done incredibly well last season, winning the championship [Premier League] which is always complicated in a competition which has six or seven clubs capable of winning.
"The competition is incredibly tough but he managed to do it in a great manner.
"The season after you win the championship is always more complicated. The competition are hungrier and stronger, so I think he did everything possible this season.
"They did extremely well in the Champions League until getting knocked out by, I would not say Barcelona but Lionel Messi. If he had been playing for Chelsea it would have been 5-0 both times to Chelsea.
"Getting to the final of the FA Cup is a massive achievement, so overall he is going great and I hope it continues."
As for Friday's charity match at Stamford Bridge, which Inter Forever won 4-1, Vialli admitted it would be great to be in the company of some former friends and colleagues, including goalscorer Roberto Di Matteo, Gianfranco Zola and Marcel Desailly.
"It was thoroughly enjoyable and quite emotional. Seeing these guys brought back some great memories," added Vialli.
"It was a fun game, for charity and in memory of a very good friend, Ray Wilkins.
"It was also a celebration of the great Chelsea team that started winning trophies 20 years ago."
