Zola decision to stay depends on his family

Gianfranco Zola has revealed his family will hold the key to whether he follows through his intention to leave Chelsea this summer.

Zola was persuaded to stay at Stamford Bridge this season only when the club promised him that he could leave at the end of this campaign even though there is still just over a year left on his contract.

At 34, he seems to be looking for a swansong in Italy, while he is also conscious that his children should grow up speaking Italian as their first language.

Chelsea managing director Colin Hutchinson has nevertheless revealed that the club will do what they can to persuade Zola to stay for a final season.

The striker will make the final decision his wife and children in the summer.

"It's not only my decision. It's something that we have to decide as a family," he said after the 2-1 win against Middlesbrough.

The win against Boro kept the dream of Europe alive but Zola, who admits Chelsea cannot afford to lose another game if they are to avoid the "nightmare" of the InterToto Cup, knows they have let down their fans.

"Our supporters surely deserve something better than what we have achieved this year," he said. "But we have given them much satisfaction in the past and sometimes they have to understand that things just don't work out. But we are going to try to work harder to give them everything they deserve."

Zola returned after a three-game absence to put Chelsea ahead with a header from a cross by Celestine Babayaro.

Boro striker Dean Windass equalised after the break, heading home Christian Karembeu's cross, but Noel Whelan's careless back-pass let in Eidur Gudjohnsen for Chelsea's winner.

There was no way back for a side who were without Paul Ince, Ugo Ehiogu and Phil Stamp through suspension and lost Colin Cooper with a hip injury after only six minutes.