Fears are growing over the health of Gianluca Vialli after the Italy and Chelsea legend was admitted to a hospital in London for treatment for pancreatic cancer.
Gazzetta dello Sport has reported that Vialli’s 87-year-old mother Maria Terea has flown to England to be by his side. Vialli, 58, left his role as the head of the Italy delegation last week to undergo treatment.
The ex-Sampdoria striker took the role to work with his close friend and former team-mate Roberto Mancini. The two celebrated Italy’s Euro 2020 triumph together at Wembley last summer.
Vialli’s worsening condition saw him taken to the hospital where he has already undergone two courses of chemotherapy for the tumour discovered in 2017.
The Italian has described the cancer as "an unwanted guest" and "a travellong companion that I would have gladly avoided”. In a statement last week he wrote: "At the end of a long and difficult 'negotiation' with my wonderful team of oncologists I have decided to suspend, I hope temporarily, my present and future professional commitments.
"The goal is to use all the psycho-physical energies to help my body overcome this phase of the disease, so that I will be able as soon as possible to face new adventures and share them with all of you."
Vialli won the scudetto, the European Cup-Winners’ Cup and three Italian Cups with Sampdoria before moving to Juventus to claim another Serie A title, the Champions League, a UEFA Cup and an Italian Cup. He joined Ruud Gullit’s Chelsea in 1996 and became player-manager in 1998 before one season at Watford in 2001-02.
President of the Italian Football Federation, Gabriele Gravina, also commented on Vialli's decision and mooted a future return for the 59-cap star. He added: "Gianluca is an absolute protagonist of the Italian national team and will be in the future.
"Thanks to his extraordinary strength of spirit, the Azzurri and the affection of the whole federal family, I am convinced he will be back soon. He can count on each of us, because we are a team, on and off the pitch"
