Chelsea icon Gianfranco Zola has predicted bad news for Chelsea in the Premier League during the 2019/20 campaign.
He is tipping them to miss out on a top-four finish.
Frank Lampard makes his managerial debut for the Blues on Sunday with a huge clash at Old Trafford against Manchester United, opening the new campaign.
A fierce challenge lies ahead fighting with the Red Devils, Tottenham and Arsenal for a top-four finish this term and the Champions League football that accompanies it.
Chelsea managed to seal that achievement last term, finishing third and lifting the Europa League in Baku, but Zola, who was Maurizio Sarri's assistant at Stamford Bridge last season, does not see a positive outcome.
"It will be very close, I think it will be a fight," he told BeIN Sports, after predicting how the top seven in the Premier League would look and placing Chelsea in fifth.
The Italian has Liverpool to end their three-decade wait for a league title ahead of Manchester City, with Tottenham backed to finish third behind that pair.
The final top-four spot has Zola selecting Manchester United, with Arsenal behind Chelsea in sixth and ahead of Everton - who take the best of the rest spot.
