Chelsea should keep faith in Morata, says Flo

Alvaro Morata has been backed to get back among the goals by former Chelsea striker Tore Andre Flo.

Morata's absence has hurt Chelsea in recent weeks, with the Spain international aiming to recover from a back injury in time for the Champions League games versus Barcelona next week. 

Though Morata has not scored in his last six appearances for Chelsea, Flo thinks the former Real Madrid forward is being judged too harshly and that he will make the same impact he did earlier in the season upon his return. 

“Not only just because I work here, but I would really defend him any day," Flo, who played more than 150 games for the Blues, said at the launch of the Chelsea Legends match. "He is a very, very good player, I really like him. If he gets a good delivery he is so good in front of goal. I like the way he moves in the build-up and all that.

“But, obviously, it is tough coming to the Premier League and some games he found it tough. But I think now, when he also has someone else in as well, then hopefully we could see two strikers every now and then. I don’t know, we’ll have to wait and see.”

Flo now works as a coach in Chelsea's youth teams but he is returning to play at Stamford Bridge in the summer as part of Chelsea's legendary side that won the League Cup, Cup Winners' Cup and Super Cup in 1998. 

The Norwegian is joined by Gianfranco Zola, Dennis Wise, Graeme Le Saux and player-manager Gianluca Vialli in the Chelsea team which will face Inter Forever, who will have the likes of Javier Zanetti, Youri Djorkaeff and Francesco Toldo available, on May 18.

Chelsea's current striking options were boosted by the £18 million signing of Olivier Giroud from Arsenal on transfer deadline day and Flo is happy that manager Antonio Conte will have more options in attack. 

“I think you get someone there that can change up the way you play a bit," Flo said of Giroud. "Obviously he is tall, and he can be in there to head it or take down balls from the back.

“Yeah, so we will have to just wait and see how he uses him. Now he has got more options on how to change the way he plays.”

Chelsea FC handout

Flo's 1998 team paved the way for Roman Abramovich's 2003 takeover as Chelsea fans dreamed of winning their first top-flight title since 1955 after the cup successes. 

Zola was one of Flo's strike partners and he believes that the Italian is the best forward to wear the Chelsea shirt, although he believes Eden Hazard is also right up there with him. 

“If I can mention Zola as someone to mention, then I would mention him any day," Flo continued. "He was the best player that I have played with and, if I was a supporter, then I would have loved to have watched him play.

“If Eden Hazard is a striker then he is also one of my favourites, if we can call him a striker.”

Tickets are on sale for season ticket holders for Chelsea Legends versus Inter Forever, with members tickets going on sale on Wednesday, and then general sale will open on Friday. The match will be £20 for adults and £10 for concessions.