Chelsea and Manchester City will pay tribute to the late Gianluca Vialli this afternoon. The Premier League champions are set to welcome Graham Potter's side to the Etihad Stadium for the FA Cup third round clash, in what is the Blues' first fixture since the Italian's death.
Vialli, who enjoyed spells as both a player and a manager at Stamford Bridge, had been battling pancreatic cancer. The 58-year-old overcame the illness in 2018 before he was given the all-clear in 2020.
Then, in December 2021, the pancreatic cancer returned. In late December, it was reported in Italy that his mother and brother had travelled to the United Kingdom to be with Vialli amid concerns over his health before he sadly passed on Thursday, January 6.
