One of Greatest Chelsea legend Gianfranco Zola thinks Champions league dream is going to Costa lot #CarryGobySeanKellz #FutureGroupNG via @myentertain9jar

CHELSEA legend Gianfranco Zola has warned Roman Abramovich he will have to open his wallet this summer if the club are to take the final step in Europe next season.

Gianfranco Zola says Chelsea need to strengthen over the summer[STUART ROBINSON]

Zola believes Wednesday's Champions League semi-final defeat to Atletico Madrid underlined the need to strengthen the side and he believes the Spanish side's sought-after striker Diego Costa should be the No1 target for Jose Mourinho.

"Everybody says that - even Jose says so - so that might be a good point to start from. He made an impression yesterday, not only him but some others," said Zola.

"They have a good base to start from, they don't need much, but they could improve with the right investment in the right place.

"Chelsea's ambition is to be the best in Europe. When you consider the competition, they will certainly have to make some investment because the others are getting stronger."

The inquest at Stamford Bridge has seen Mourinho come under fire for his tactics against Atletico in a game where their absence of an attacking threat was exposed but Zola feels the manager is the wrong target.

"You can prepare a team as well as you can but if the opposition do everything better than you then your tactics don't work. Atletico were better mentally, physically and technically," said Zola.

Zola thinks Chelsea should break the bank for Diego Costa [REUTERS]

 

"They looked like a team who had played in games like that for a long time and that surprised me. They were very mature and in control - even when they went 1-0 down they were very calm. They were really good.

"I was disappointed because, like everyone, I was expecting Chelsea to go through but we all didn't consider enough the strengths of Atletico Madrid."

Despite the deflation of their European exit, Zola believes Chelsea will finish the Premier League season strongly but he senses they may have too much to do to take the title ahead of Manchester City and Liverpool.

"Knowing the manager and the players they have in the team, I'm sure it will make them focus even more for the next couple of games," said Zola, who was at Wentworth yesterday practising for the BMW PGA Championship pro-am later this month.

"They will go for it but they have to rely on results from other games - that is the thing that is against Chelsea. They don't have one team to compete against for the title they have two and that makes it more difficult for them."