Arsenal have been charged by the Football Association (FA) with failing to control their players in the aftermath of a late penalty appeal in Tuesday's goalless draw with Newcastle United.
Several Gunners players surrounded referee Andy Madley when he failed to award a spot-kick for an alleged handball by Jacob Murphy in stoppage time, remonstrating with the official in frenzied fashion.
Mikel Arteta – who also felt Arsenal should have been awarded a penalty for Dan Burn's shirt pull on Gabriel Magalhaes earlier in the match – reacted furiously on the touchline, sparking a brief confrontation with Newcastle boss Eddie Howe.
The conduct of Arteta and his players was criticised in some quarters after the draw and has led the FA to open disciplinary proceedings against the Premier League leaders.
"Arsenal FC has been charged with a breach of FA rule E20.1 following its Premier League match against Newcastle United FC on Tuesday 3 January 2023," a statement from the governing body read.
"It's alleged that Arsenal FC failed to ensure its players conducted themselves in an orderly fashion during the 95th minute, and the club has until Tuesday 10 January 2023 to respond."
Arteta described Madley's failure to award two penalties to his team as "scandalous" in his post-match interview as Arsenal conceded ground in the title race.
Arsenal's stalemate was followed by a 1-0 win for Manchester City at Chelsea two days later, moving the champions to within five points of the summit.
Barcelona have been beaten without scoring a goal in their past two trips to Atletico Madrid and could find themselves off the top of LaLiga if they suffer more misery in the capital on Sunday.
A fiery 1-1 draw with Espanyol on New Year's Eve left Barca level on points with Real Madrid at the summit in what is shaping up to be an enthralling title race.
Xavi's side travel to the Metropolitano for their first LaLiga game of the year on the back of a Copa del Rey scare, avoiding an upset by beating third-tier Intercity 4-3 after extra time.
Fourth-placed Atleti have secured back-to-back 2-0 wins and will be looking for a third consecutive home victory over the Blaugrana in the top flight.
With Carlo Ancelotti's men travelling to Villarreal a day earlier, Barca may need a win against Atletico to go back to the top of the table and they will be without the suspended Robert Lewandowski.
Stats Perform pick out the standout Opta numbers to preview the big game.
Barca hoping for same story in New Year
This will be the fifth time Barca have faced Atleti in their first game of a calendar year.
If history is anything to go by, the Catalan giants could be heading home with all three points in the bank as they have not lost in all four of the previous such meetings.
Barca beat Atleti in their first league games in 1930, 1951 and 1989, with the other encounter ending in a draw.
If looking that far back is not for you, Barca have been in excellent recent form on the road – winning 12 of their past 14 away games in LaLiga, with just one defeat.
Griezmann to return to haunt Barca?
In-form forward Antoine Griezmann is set to face Barca for the first time since he made a permanent move from Camp Nou to Atleti in October.
The France international endured a disappointing spell with the Blaugrana, but is very much at home again under Diego Simeone.
After some outstanding World Cup displays in Qatar, Griezmann has provided three assists in two matches back on club duty – the latest being a sublime first-time cushioned pass to set up Marcos Llorente in the 2-0 Copa del Rey defeat of Real Oviedo on Wednesday.
A revitalised Griezmann has been involved in 10 LaLiga goals for the Rojiblancos this season – five goals and as many assists. That is three more than he managed from 29 appearances in the competition in the 2021-22 campaign.
Dembele delivering for Xavi
Ousmane Dembele continues to show why Barca were so eager to keep him after his contract expired at the end of last season.
The France winger scored his eighth goal of Xavi's reign in a thrilling cup tie against Intercity.
Dembele has racked up 20 assists since Xavi was appointed in November 2021, giving him the most goal involvements for Barca during the head coach's tenure.
Joao Felix catching the eye in shop window
Joao Felix continues to be linked with a move, Manchester United among the clubs linked with the wantaway Atletico forward.
He has clearly not been affected by uncertainty over his future, scoring in three consecutive LaLiga games for the first time during his Atleti career.
The Portugal international has found the back of the net four times in his past three LaLiga matches, while he also struck against Ghana in the World Cup.
England head coach Steve Borthwick has made former All Black Nick Evans his new attack coach ahead of the Six Nations.
With Kevin Sinfield already installed as defence coach, Borthwick believes he has found another ideal candidate to galvanise the Red Rose at the start of a Rugby World Cup year.
Evans will take time out from his coaching duties at Harlequins to join the England set-up.
It is unclear for now what involvement Martin Gleeson will have, having been attack coach under Borthwick's predecessor, Eddie Jones.
Evans, who won 16 caps for New Zealand before signing for Harlequins in 2008, retired from playing in April 2017 but remains an influential figure at the Premiership club.
Borthwick said: "I am delighted that Nick is joining our team ahead of the Six Nations. Nick brings with him a wealth of different experiences as a player and coach, which will be incredibly valuable to the growth of our team.
"I know that Nick understands the pride and responsibility that comes with representing your country. We aim to build an England team that our nation can be proud of, and I know that our supporters will be very excited by what Nick can bring to our side."
Former Leicester Tigers head coach Borthwick took over from Jones after the Australian was sacked in December, and it remains to be seen whether he may want Evans to stay involved leading up to the World Cup if the Six Nations brings positive results.
Harlequins, who were thanked by Borthwick on Friday, have said Evans will return to them on a full-time basis after the Six Nations.
The appointment of Evans comes during a week that saw Matt Proudfoot's tenure as England forwards coach come to an end.
England launch their Six Nations campaign against Scotland at Twickenham on February 4, having won just two of their five matches in each of the past two championships.
Damar Hamlin can breathe without assistance and is improving "remarkably" after his cardiac arrest, with the Buffalo Bills revealing he has already spoken to his team-mates.
The latest uplifting development arrived on Friday as Hamlin continues his recovery at the University of Cincinnati Medical Center (UCMC), where he was taken on Monday after collapsing mid-game against the Cincinnati Bengals.
Hamlin joined the Bills' Friday team meeting on FaceTime and told the group: "Love you boys."
UCMC's Dr Timothy Pritts spoke on Thursday of how Hamlin had "won the game of life" by surviving, after it was revealed the safety wanted to know whether the Bills had won against the Bengals.
As it happens, that game was abandoned and will not resume, with the NFL recognising its outcome would not impact any team's qualification or elimination from the postseason.
Hamlin's future in the NFL is unclear for now, with doctors saying on Thursday it was too soon to talk about the prospect of him playing again, but the 24-year-old is making significant day-by-day progress in hospital.
The Bills said in a statement: "Per the physicians at UCMC, Damar's breathing tube was removed overnight. He continues to progress remarkably in his recovery.
"His neurologic function remains intact and he has been able to talk to his family and care team.
"Damar Hamlin FaceTimed into our team meeting today to talk to players and coaches.
"What he said to the team: 'Love you boys.'"
Reports said Hamlin has also spoken individually to a number of team-mates, yet another encouraging sign.
It had been revealed on Thursday he was able to communicate by writing notes, and to be speaking and breathing without a tube a day later is another major step towards being discharged.
Hamlin collapsed after a collision with wide receiver Tee Higgins and had to be resuscitated on the field.
He received "textbook" medical attention at the stadium, Pritts' colleague Dr William A. Knight said.
Gianfranco Zola joined a cast of Italy greats in paying tribute to Gianluca Vialli, after the former Juventus and Chelsea striker died at the age of 58.
As well as being team-mates with Italy and Chelsea, Zola and Vialli were also rivals on the pitch for a large part of their careers, with Zola a standout fantasista for Napoli and Vialli a figurehead forward for Sampdoria and Napoli.
Zola also had a spell of playing at Chelsea when Vialli became manager, and it was reported at the time he was unhappy with being given limited playing opportunities by his compatriot.
However, Zola said on Friday there was "the utmost respect" between the men, as he remembered Vialli in a poignant message.
Zola wrote: "Together we won many matches and shared some of the best moments of our lives.
"For the love of our ball we have often clashed. With no quarter, but always with the utmost respect.
"Because, in the end, we were always ourselves: two Italian boys and a ball. Goodbye Luca, fellow traveller."
Both were signed by Chelsea boss Ruud Gullit in 1996, at a time when high-profile foreign imports to the Premier League were still few and far between.
Vialli went on to become player-manager in 1998, giving up playing duties a year later before being sacked by chairman Ken Bates in September 2000.
In Italy, Vialli was a revered figure, shining alongside Roberto Mancini for Sampdoria before heading to Juventus in 1992, winning a Serie A title with both teams and a Champions League in 1996 with Juve.
He was skipper as Juventus beat Ajax on penalties to be crowned European champions, with that Juventus team including stars of the calibre of Antonio Conte, Alessandro Del Piero, Ciro Ferrara, Didier Deschamps and Fabrizio Ravanelli.
Del Piero posted on Instagram: "Our Captain. My Captain. Always. Goodbye Luca."
There was a similar message from Ravanelli, who wrote simply: "Goodbye captain."
Gianluigi Buffon, the former Italy goalkeeper, posted a picture of a Sampdoria shirt he had been given by Vialli.
"You were a giant, on the field and in life," Buffon wrote. "You fought to the end with your head held high with unique dignity. This shirt you gave me is priceless and every time I look at it I can't help but say thank you for everything you've done. The emptiness you leave is huge."
Former defender Ferrara added: "How can I let you go? You were like a brother."
Angelo Di Livio, the former Juventus and Fiorentina winger, told Tuttomercatoweb.com how Vialli had "made me grow both as a man and as a player".
Di Livio said: "Those who have not had the pleasure of meeting Gianluca have lost a lot, they have lost a real man, a great champion.
"We will always all be connected because he was our leader, our captain, perhaps the most important player in Lippi's first Juve who took us by the hand and led us to great victories, great triumphs."
Cody Gakpo's decision to join Liverpool without a guarantee of Champions League qualification delighted Jurgen Klopp, who has "no doubts at all" about the forward ahead of his Reds debut.
Liverpool beat several clubs – including rivals Manchester United – to Gakpo's signature by agreeing a deal worth an initial £37million (€42m) with PSV shortly before the transfer window opened.
Gakpo was unable to make his debut in Monday's 3-1 Premier League defeat at Brentford after a delay in ratifying the move, but he is available for Saturday's FA Cup tie against Wolves.
Speaking at his pre-match press conference ahead of that fixture, Klopp said Gakpo's decision to join a team seven points adrift of a top-four place said a lot about his personality.
"We had information about him as a person from Virgil [van Dijk] so not only were there few doubts, there were no doubts at all," Klopp said. "We're very happy with the signing.
"There were easier moments to join Liverpool. Last year, we were not qualified already for the Champions League, but it looked likely. This year we can't guarantee that, but Cody never asked.
"What I like about this is he's not a guy that wants to jump on a moving train, he's a guy that wants to push the train. So good for him, as well. It always helps in life if you are like that."
Gakpo scored three goals as the Netherlands reached the World Cup quarter-finals in Qatar after providing 12 goals and nine assists for PSV through their first 14 games of the Eredivisie season.
While Klopp is excited to see the 23-year-old in action, he is unwilling to compare him to Luis Diaz, who made a terrific impact for Liverpool after his own mid-season arrival from Porto 12 months ago.
"With our situation, with injuries to the strikers, it's nice to have a player who is natural in lots of things and knows where the goal is," Klopp said of Gakpo.
"He looks really good, he looks really promising. He looks fit. Is he 100 per cent fit? I don't know, he had a few times with us where he couldn't train with the team. Now he's with the team. The sessions have been intense for him because it's different.
"I'm very positive about him. I don't know if it's helpful to compare him with Lucho's impact – it was pretty special. We had injuries [last season] and it was extremely helpful.
"Cody gets the same amount of time as any other player. He has to settle in offensively, he comes from a different league. I don't have to compare him to Lucho, but we expect a positive impact, definitely."
Klopp also dismissed suggestions he had been irked by Liverpool's failure to have Gakpo available sooner, adding: "If our Premier League game [at Brentford] had been last night, maybe he could have played, but for us in this moment, it's absolutely perfect.
"Normally in January business happens later, but in this case we were pretty early, so I'm completely fine with the situation."
Virgil van Dijk will be out of action for over a month after sustaining a hamstring injury in Liverpool's defeat to Brentford earlier this week, Jurgen Klopp has confirmed.
Defender Van Dijk was one of three players substituted at half-time in Liverpool's damaging 3-1 loss at the Brentford Community Stadium, which saw them lose ground in the race for a top-four Premier League finish.
Klopp described Van Dijk's withdrawal as precautionary after the game, but reports later in the week suggested the Netherlands captain's injury was worse than initially feared.
Speaking ahead of Saturday's FA Cup third-round tie against Wolves, Klopp provided an estimated timeframe for Van Dijk's return and described his absence as a significant setback.
"On Virg, it's a surprise and obviously a big blow, as he didn't feel a lot," Klopp said at Friday's pre-match press conference.
"I took him off actually, to avoid the risk, maybe he would have tried [to play on] and stuff like this.
"In the end, the diagnosis was pretty harsh. They talk about weeks – more than a month.
"We have to see how it goes but we have other centre-halves. Everything is okay for the team but for Virg, it's hard for him. He's played an incredible amount of games over the last few years.
"We cannot use him on the pitch, only off the pitch, so we will do that."
Asked whether the congested festive fixture list had caused Van Dijk's injury, Klopp responded: "It's his hamstring.
"He never had an issue with muscles or mentioned anything, between the games he was recovering.
"There's nothing to say about it, we did nothing different. It was one sprint."
As well as Saturday's meeting with Wolves, Van Dijk now appears likely to miss Premier League fixtures against Brighton and Hove Albion and Chelsea before the end of January.
Klopp will be desperate to have Van Dijk available for a crucial spell next month, in which Liverpool face Merseyside rivals Everton and fellow top-four contenders Newcastle United before playing the first leg of their Champions League last-16 tie against Real Madrid.
Aston Villa winger Leon Bailey has apologised to supporters after missing a glorious chance in the closing stages of Wednesday's 1-1 draw with Wolverhampton Wanderers.
Danny Ings cancelled out Daniel Podence's brilliant first-half strike to deny Wolves a vital win at Villa Park.
The home side had a glorious chance to snatch all three points late in the contest. Ings turned provider, sending a ball over the top for Bailey to catch.
He managed to get ahead of Max Kilman and round goalkeeper Jose Sa before putting his effort just wide. The 25-year-old looked distraught as he collapsed to the turf, bursting into tears.
The Jamaica international was visibly emotional after gaining his composure, wiping his face with his shirt after receiving reassurance from Watkins.
A draw for Unai Emery's side means they sit 11th in the table. Victory would've seen them move within one point of the top 10, while Wolves would've moved out of the bottom three.
Bailey took to social media shortly after the game. He admitted it would be 'very difficult to sleep' knowing how close he came to scoring his fourth league goal of the campaign.
The former Bayer Leverkusen man said: "I am really sorry, Villains. I feel at blame for not coming away with all three points tonight. It's really hard to take and I'm very disappointed in myself.
"Surely will be very difficult to sleep tonight, but I'll try to keep my head up. Thank you for the great support tonight."
Emery was quick to back Bailey despite the miss in his post-match interview.
The Spaniard believes Bailey took responsibility and is committed to the club, something he's been desperate to instil in all his players since arriving from Villarreal in November.
He told reporters: "I’m happy with him, he was crying but it is good because he was feeling. He was taking responsibility to score and he didn’t do it. He can feel this responsibility.
"I’m very happy with his commitment and performance, he was playing inside and outside. It was good to learn more with him.
"At the end we had chances to score and win with a huge opportunity with Leon Bailey, we can be happy because we created it.
"They (the players) were supporting him and trying to improve for the next matches when he will have the same chances."
Villa return to action on Sunday evening against League Two outfit Stevenage in the FA Cup.
Bayern Munich defender Noussair Mazraoui faces a period on the sidelines after medical tests showed up an inflammation issue relating to his heart.
The Morocco international tested positive for COVID-19 at the World Cup, Bayern said on Friday.
He returned to the team for the Qatar 2022 semi-final against France after missing the last-eight clash with Portugal, but subsequent tests have shown Mazraoui has a mild inflammation of the pericardium, which is the fluid-filled fibrous sac surrounding the heart.
Bayern travelled without him on Friday to a training camp in Doha, and the club have not specified a timeframe for Mazraoui's absence from the squad.
Newspaper Bild has reported the 25-year-old former Ajax player could be out of action for four to six weeks. That would make Mazraoui a doubt for the February 14 first leg of Bayern's Champions League last-16 tie against Paris Saint-Germain.
The Bundesliga leaders said in a statement on their website: "Noussair Mazraoui was not able to fly with the Bayern team to Doha on Friday as they prepare for the second half of the season at their training camp.
"The 25-year-old Morocco international tested positive for COVID-19 during the World Cup in December, meaning he missed the quarter-final against Portugal.
"During a follow-up examination in Munich after the World Cup, FC Bayern team doctor Professor Dr Roland Schmidt diagnosed a mild inflammation of the pericardium, which the defender will now cure.
"This means that Mazraoui will not be available to coach Julian Nagelsmann for the time being."
Bayern signed up Dutch defender Daley Blind on Thursday to fortify their squad ahead of the resumption of the Bundesliga after its extended winter break.
The 10-in-a-row German champions return to domestic action against RB Leipzig on January 20.
Midfielder Marcel Sabitzer also missed the beginning of the training camp due to flu, with plans for him to make the trip to Qatar once well.
Jack Grealish admits adapting to Manchester City's style of play has been "much more difficult" than he imagined it would be.
Having joined City for a Premier League record £100million fee in 2021, Grealish has largely struggled to replicate the displays he produced for Aston Villa, though he made a decisive impact in Thursday's 1-0 win at Chelsea.
Grealish's fine ball across the six-yard box teed up Riyad Mahrez for City's winner just three minutes and 43 seconds after the pair were introduced as second-half substitutes.
That represented Grealish's third assist in his last three Premier League games – the same amount as he managed in his first 34 league appearances for City, and the England international acknowledges he struggled on his arrival at the Etihad Stadium.
"When I came here, I'll be honest with you, it was so much more difficult than I thought," Grealish told Sky Sports.
"In my head I thought I was going to the team sitting top of the league and I was going to get so many goals and assists and obviously it isn't the case.
"A lot of teams tend to sit in against us and that wasn't the case at Villa.
"[Former Villa boss] Dean Smith would tell me to go and find the weak link in the defence, whether that was on the right, the middle or whether I wanted to hug the touchline, and at Villa, I always had an overlapping full-back.
"I came to City, having been at Villa my whole life, and I've never had to change [before]. I've always been used to that. I didn't realise how hard it is to adapt to a different team and manager."
City's victory at Stamford Bridge was their fourth in a row against Chelsea in all competitions, and Grealish believes the Blues' willingness to attack the champions played into their hands.
"We've had games this season – against Everton and Brentford recently for example – where they've had a back five and they've sat in against us," Grealish said.
"Against a back four today it just felt so much more open, and we were desperate to come on."
Iga Swiatek was in tears after losing to Jessica Pegula as the United States took a 2-0 United Cup semi-final lead over Poland, while Italy moved into command against Greece on Friday.
World number one Swiatek was beaten 6-2 6-2 by the impressive Pegula in just 71 minutes at Ken Rosewall Arena.
Swiatek got the better of Pegula three times last year, but the American made light work of seeing off the three-time grand slam champion this time around to put USA in front.
Pegula struck 21 winners, attacking the Swiatek serve in a commanding display just over a week before the Australian Open gets under way.
Swiatek's emotions came out after she was emphatically defeated by the world number three in Sydney.
Pegula said: "I played her today, conditions are totally different than anywhere else I played her. Obviously maybe I had a little bit of an advantage, they just flew in yesterday.
"Definitely the fastest conditions I have played her [in]. Every other place I've played her has been pretty slow. I think that favoured me a lot, and I was able to use that to my advantage and play a really super clean match.
"I think I just was able to execute my game plan probably better than I have previous times."
Frances Tiafoe backed up Pegula's win by beating Kacper Zuk, who replaced the unwell Daniel Michalski, 6-3 6-3.
That ensures Taylor Fritz has a chance to put the United States into the final if he beats Hubert Hurkacz on Saturday.
Italy are in control of the other semi-final following victories for Martina Trevisan and Lorenzo Musetti.
Trevisan upset Maria Sakkari 6-3 6-7 (4-7) 7-5 before Musetti outclassed Stefanos Sakellaridis, winning 6-1 6-1.
Novak Djokovic set up a semi-final clash with Daniil Medvedev at the Adelaide International with a straight-sets win over Denis Shapovalov.
Shapovalov wilted under pressure on his serve at the end of both sets as Djokovic claimed a 6-3 6-4 victory, though he felt the encounter was closer than the score suggested.
"The scoreline doesn't give you the right idea of what happened in the match, almost two hours for two sets, it was such a close match," Djokovic said in his on-court interview.
"I just managed to stay mentally composed in the right moments and play my best tennis."
He wrapped up the win with a backhand volley after a Shapovalov double fault handed Djokovic the key break, teeing up a meeting with Medvedev, whom he beat in the 2021 Australian Open final before losing to the Russian in the US Open showpiece later that year.
Fellow former world number one Medvedev cruised to a 6-3 6-3 win over compatriot Karen Khachanov.
Medvedev trailed 3-1 in the second set but reeled off five straight games to surge into the last four.
"We didn't play since 2019, that's pretty long," Medvedev said of his reunion with Khachanov.
"Hopefully we can play more matches at later stages of tournaments. It's never easy, I'm happy that I managed to really raise my level, especially at the end of both sets, and I'm really happy to be through to the semis."
Sebastian Korda continued his superb run with a straight-sets win over Jannik Sinner, who was bothered by a hip issue that later forced him to pull out of his doubles match.
Korda pulled away in the second set after a tight first to win 7-5 6-1 and has won 11 of his 14 matches since the start of October.
He will take on Yoshihito Nishioka, who overcame home hope Alexei Popyrin 7-6 (7-4) 6-7 (8-10) 6-2, for a place in the final.
Massimiliano Allegri believes Champions League qualification, rather than the Scudetto, remains Juventus' aim for the season despite their remarkable upturn in form.
Ahead of Saturday's meeting with Udinese, Juventus have won seven consecutive Serie A matches without conceding, putting them within seven points of league leaders Napoli.
The Bianconeri's tally of 11 Serie A clean sheets is a joint-high in the big five European leagues this season (alongside Barcelona), helping them turn their campaign around in dramatic fashion after Allegri came under pressure before the World Cup.
While some have suggested Napoli's midweek defeat to Inter opens the title race up to several teams, Allegri says a top-four finish remains a more realistic aim for his men.
Asked how Napoli's first Serie A loss of the season impacted Juventus' title hopes, Allegri said: "They don't change. Napoli are the clear favourites, they are many points ahead after 16 games.
"They've had a stoppage and that's it, but I'd say that Napoli are having an extraordinary year and are still the clear favourites.
"Then there's the Inter and Milan. Our goal is to stay in the top four and play for our chances in the Coppa Italia and Europa League."
Juventus are set to receive a further boost when they host Andrea Sottil's team, with Angel Di Maria available for the first time since scoring in Argentina's thrilling World Cup final triumph against France last month.
"Tomorrow, returning to the stadium with our fans and with the stadium full will be a good opportunity for us," Allegri said.
"We have recovered Di Maria. [Leandro] Paredes is improving in condition. Bremer is a bit tired and I will evaluate their conditions today."
Allegri introduced winger Federico Chiesa after 55 minutes in Wednesday's 1-0 win at Cremonese, for just his third Serie A appearance since suffering a ruptured anterior cruciate ligament last January.
While the Bianconeri boss is uncertain whether Chiesa is ready to start, he is enthused by the Italy international's recovery and expects him to have some level of participation.
"The other day he played one half if you consider added time. Those who enter the second half with added time always play almost one half anyway," Allegri said. "Chiesa did well, physically he needed a match like this, picking up the pace a lot.
"He's growing in his condition; I don't know if I'll be able to get him to start, but the more he goes on the more playing time he puts in. I'm very happy."
Juventus boss Massimiliano Allegri led a period of silence at his pre-match press conference for Gianluca Vialli, who has died at the age of 58.
The Bianconeri legend, who also represented Sampdoria, Chelsea and Italy, was originally diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in 2017 and, after announcing he had been given the all-clear in April 2020, he was re-diagnosed the following year.
Juve paid a glowing tribute to their former striker, a Champions League winner with the club in 1996, before Allegri asked the assembled media to join him in remembering Vialli and another club legend Ernesto Castano, who died this week, prior to answering questions on his side's fixture with Udinese on Saturday.
"Before starting the press conference, it is necessary to remember Ernesto Castano and Gianluca Vialli," he said.
"I had the pleasure of meeting Vialli and they are two players who have given so much to Juventus and to the Italian national team. I ask you to hold a minute of silence for them.
"Both as a player but above all as a man, Vialli is an example to follow and we will all miss him.
"The memory is what he leaves to the youngsters. The expression of how he interpreted and lived the matches, with his technique, heart and passion."
Vialli scored 259 goals in 673 club matches, as well as netting 16 times in 59 appearances for Italy.
He became player-manager of Chelsea in February 1998 and won an EFL Cup and European Cup Winners' Cup double that season, while he also lifted the FA Cup as Blues boss.
Vialli was part of Roberto Mancini's coaching staff for Italy's successful Euro 2020 campaign.
The Italian Football Federation (FIGC) announced a minute's silence would be held prior to this weekend's matches in Italy, while the body's president Gabriele Gravina paid his own respects.
"I am deeply saddened by the news," Gravina said.
"I hoped right up until the final seconds that another miracle would appear, yet I'm consoled by what he gave to football in Italy and the Azzurri shirt, and that will always be remembered.
"Gianluca was a wonderful person and will leave a big hole in the national team and in everyone who knew his extraordinary human qualities."
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