Zola sad to leave Chelsea

Zola rejected a new offer of a new deal from Chelsea to move back to Sardinia after seven successful years at Stamford Bridge.

And although he conceded it was a wrench to leave west London, the lure of returning to the country of his birth was, ultimately, too great too turn down.

"I am very happy to be playing for Cagliari, the most important team of my homeland," said Zola.

"It's been painful to decide to leave and it will be painful in the next months," he said.
"I feel sad to leave - it's the place where I've felt the most satisfaction, where I got everything I was dreaming of when I first started playing football.

"But in my last year I've given satisfaction to the fans and I've received satisfaction back."

Of his move to Sardinia, where he was born in 1966, he said: "More than anything else it's a choice of life. It's my own place and I want go back where I started from.

"It makes me feel alive, I feel revitalised.

"The idea of putting myself on the line again makes me feel good again and maybe I can squeeze something more from my old body."

"I want to thank Chelsea and the fans who have understood that this is a life decision, not an economic one."

Zola, who will be the new Calgiairi captain, has signed a one-year deal which may be renewed for a further 12 months come the end of the season.

Zola added: "It was a tough decision. In life money is not everything and this choice has proven it."

"A footballer should not fear Serie B," he said.

"It is true that the Champions League is the Champions League, but when I was young I played in Serie C."

Gianfranco Zola

Nationality: Italy
Place of Birth: Oliena, Italy
Date of Birth: 5 July 1966 
Height: 5' 6''
Weight: 10 08 
Club: Calgiari
Position: Forward