Ageless Zola determined to sacrifice a rest for history

As he jogged off the Stamford Bridge pitch just before the end of Thursday's Uefa Cup tie against the Norwegian club Viking, Gianfranco Zola was entitled to reflect on another job well done. The ovation, full-throated as ever – even though the crowd was a paltry 15,772 – signified the home supporters' satisfaction with a 2-0 lead against unambitious opponents; the sight of a young Portugese striker, Filipe Oliveira, waiting on the touchline to make his bow, was a reminder that not even Zola can go on for ever.

Neither of them could know that with stoppage time looming, Ben Wright, an Englishman abroad, would change the whole character of the tie by heading in an away goal to leave next week's second leg in Stavanger more closely balanced than Chelsea would have wished.

It would be unfair to criticise Claudio Ranieri for the substitution, or pretend that Zola, who had been playing during the second half as an out-and-out striker, would somehow have prevented the goal. Rather, there was something symbolic about the team's prospects of a first decent run in Europe for three years suddenly drooping as soon as their outstanding player this season was given a brief rest.

"Surely you can manage for five minutes without me?" a Di Canio might have raged, with much histrionic arm-waving. But if the West Ham man personifies his native Rome in all its glorious madness, Zola is equally a product of his upbringing amid the calmer climes of rural Sardinia. Booted and suited with club blazer and big tie, floppy hair and toothy smile, he was typically composed: "We didn't get all we deserved, but that's football. We want to go through to the next round and I think we will. We know they're a better side at home and it'll be a tough game, but I'm confident we're gonna go through."

It has almost certainly not occurred to him, but reaching the second round would provide the opportunity for him to make a small piece of club history by appearing in more European games for Chelsea than any other player. He is already on 36, spread over the six years since the club persuaded Parma to cut their initial demand for a £10m transfer fee by more than half. His astonishing impact – voted Footballer of the Year for 1996-7 after fewer than 30 games in his new country – made it look a steal, and the following seasons have demanded no revision of that assessment. Having hinted that this might be his last campaign, he has been as influential as ever; more so, perhaps, in having to take the goalscoring weight normally borne by a misfiring Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink, who finally broke his duck on Thursday.

Ten goals in seven pre-season friendlies were followed by Chelsea's first in the Premiership, to begin an escape to victory at Charlton, and then four more in a burst of three games. Of his own form, Zola says: "I've started the season the way I wanted. Personally, I still think there's space for me to improve and I'm working on that. It's dedication to my profession and myself and it pays off."

Work he does, as every Chelsea employee will testify, despite a degree of natural ability that was evident from his first day at the club. At Napoli, his first Serie A club (with Ranieri as coach) he would practise free-kicks for an hour every day; even now he is normally last off the training pitch.

There was a suggestion that he might have been rested on Thursday, with tomorrow night's local derby away to Fulham in mind. He would not have approved, however testing the next challenge proves: "I don't need a rest. At my age, if I rest it's harder to come back. Fulham will be a difficult game, because they're probably playing their best football and scoring a lot of goals. But I'm pleased it comes now because we need tough games to increase our confidence and I'm looking forward to it."

And, even at 36, this surely cannot be a farewell season? The smile widens even further. "Let me play till the end of the season and then we'll talk about that." Chelsea supporters will be hanging anxiously on every word of the conversation.