UEFA Hands Zidane a Five-Match Ban
NYON, Switzerland (October 27, 2000 12:20 p.m. EDT http://www.sportserver.com) - Juventus midfielder Zinedine Zidane was suspended for five matches on Friday for head-butting an opponent during a Champions League match.
UEFA, European soccer's governing body, announced the ban following a meeting of its control and disciplinary body.
The French midfielder was ejected for a second straight Champions League match on Tuesday during Juventus' 3-1 home loss to Hamburg of Germany. He was expelled in the 27th minute after slamming his forehead into the face of defender Jochen Kientz.
The defeat, and the expulsions of Zidane and midfielder Edgar Davids, left the Italian club little chance of qualifying for the second group stage.
Zidane, who was FIFA's world player of the year in 1998 after leading France to the World Cup title, was ejected from Juventus' scoreless tie last month against Deportivo La Coruna of Spain. He was suspended for two games by UEFA but the penalty was later reduced to a one game.
"I don't have the right to behave like that and to give that image of me," Zidane said in the French sports newspaper L'Equipe on Friday. "I am not like that."
UEFA also fined Juventus $14,000 for the "improper conduct of its team and its supporters."
