Marco Lanna, president of Italian side Sampdoria and former teammate of Gianluca Vialli, has offered his previous clubs a chance to play in a charity tournament in memory of their previous player and manager. Vialli, 58, sadly passed away in London on Thursday after a long-standing battle with cancer.
The Italian was fondly remembered by those at Chelsea for his time as a player, joining the club in 1996, scoring 21 goals in three-years. He then made the transition to managing the club in 1999, helping transform the Blues into the football side they have been in the decades since.
During his time in management, Vialli guided the team to the FA Cup, League Cup, UEFA Cup Winners' Cup, UEFA Super Cup and Charity Shield. Since his passing, tributes have come flooding in from players and managers, past and present, to show their gratitude for the impact he left.
