Gianfranco Zola: John Terry should be forgiven

Chelsea legend Gianfranco Zola has claimed that John Terry should be forgiven for his red card against Barcelona on Tuesday.

The Blues captain will miss the Champions League final after he was dismissed for kneeing Alexis Sanchez in the back during his side's semi-final win at the Nou Camp.

However, Zola believes that players are often guilty of thoughtless actions on the pitch.

"Sometimes you do things on the pitch which you don't think about; it's just adrenaline," the Italian told Sky Sports News. "But I can recall so many times when his character was a key factor in leading Chelsea to big results. What he did yesterday can be forgiven considering what he has done in the past."

Chelsea will face either Bayern Munich or Real Madrid in the final on Saturday, May 19.