Zola warns: Promotion race is far from over

Watford boss Gianfranco Zola has warned Cardiff City the promotion race is far from over.

Zola’s third-placed Hornets welcome Championship leaders Cardiff to Vicarage Road on Saturday (5.20pm) for a live Sky TV blockbuster.

Watford boosted their own hopes of an automatic promotion spot by beating second-placed Hull 1-0 on Tuesday night, cutting the deficit on the Tigers to a single point with both clubs having six games left. The gap to Cardiff is eight points with the Bluebirds enjoying a game in hand – but Zola insists Malky Mackay’s men cannot take promotion for granted.

“We won a six-pointer at Hull and now we have to beat the Championship leaders,” said the former Chelsea and Italy star.
The promotion chase will go to the wire, no team has secured that prize yet. It would be fantastic to achieve promotion with these guys. I am proud to be Watford manager and it would mean so much to everybody at the club and in the town if we go up.

“Cardiff are top and it won’t be easy playing them, but we don’t fear anybody. In fact, we have had more problems with the smaller teams than the big ones this season. Our dressing room was an amazing place to be after our win at Hull. Everybody was excited, but now we are focused on facing Cardiff.”

City are certain of a play-off spot at least and need 11 points to guarantee automatic promotion. Had the Hornets lost at Hull they could have secured automatic promotion on Tuesday by beating both Watford and Barnsley. But Mackay’s men will now have to wait until the visit of Nottingham Forest on Saturday week until the very earliest.
More than 2,600 Bluebirds fans will cheer City on at Vicarage Road and Mackay, a former Watford player and manager, will be on very familiar ground.

"Watford have been doing really well this season and it will be great to go back there on Saturday,” he said. It’s a match we’re really looking forward to.”


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Mind games Mind games Mind games... Hopefully they backfire on him, he's only just got out of a losing streak

Got to agree with him, the promotion race is far from over, as you see in this league theres twists and turns every week, but one thing I do know is a win or draw on saturday would be a massive step to us gaining promotion.

well fair play, you have to hand it to zola, he's really clever. i didnt realise it wasnt over and there was still some football to be played.

zola, what a genius

He has to say that though really doesn't he..... Remain positive, keep everyone believing in Udinese II

We have 3 home games in a row and quite frankly I couldn't see us losing... unless we get robbed and its a horrendus display by the ref combined with good fortune for nottingham forest. the other 2 are minimum of 4 points
plus the bolton game and hull city away

Watford, Forest and Barnsley are all in better form than City at the moment. Blackburn are bottom of the form league in the championship at the moment and we were at home on Monday so we should have beaten them. I agree with Zola that things are not over yet but our points advantage should ensure we scrape through but don't expect we can go and win the next three easily.

watford 1 Bluebirds 4

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/22017367