Zizou Rules Mrs Zidane Out Of Real Deal
Tuesday 17th July 2001
Zinedine Zidane has angrily dismissed claims that his Spanish wife Veronique was the driving force behind his move to Real Madrid. "My wife has nothing to do with any move or decisions," Zidane declared. "She has always done what I have decided."
The France midfielder also rubbished suggestions that he signed an agreement with Madrid during last season and insists he was ready to stay with Juventus.
"I did not discuss moving to Real until the fourth or fifth of July," stressed Zidane. "Once it was clear that I could go the deal took 48 hours.
"I joined Real Madrid because I always knew that when I left Juventus it would be impossible to join another Italian team, the only alternative for me was Spain."
Speculation that the 29-year-old midfielder was heading to Real or arch-rivals Barcelona were circulating for much of last season. The Italian press identified Zidane's wife as his source of discontent in Turin, and he was cruelly ridiculed in some papers for being under-the-thumb.
However, the World Cup winner is adamant he was always committed to the Juve cause and is furious that his wife has been drawn into the affair.
"When the season finished everyone, including myself, thought that I would be staying in Turin for next season. I was convinced that I would stay another year there," said Zidane.
"The president, Moggi, and I came to an agreement that I would stay with Juve one more year and then be allowed to move.
"Next year I will be 30 and would have left Juve after six years with them. If things had not gone well next season then maybe no-one would have come in for me.
"I have moved now so that I didn't have to wait and take the risk of that happening. When we lost the Scudetto on the last day I realised that it was time to move on then. But I thought it would next year."
The Frenchman moved to the Bernabeu in a world record �48 million deal but he insists everything was above board.
"It is absolutely false that I had any agreement with Real Madrid and even more ridiculous that I had signed anything with them," said Zidane.
"I knew that Real were interested, but it was not until the beginning of July that they made any contact with me regarding a move."
The midfielder added: "With regards to my wife making any decisions, I have to say that it upsets me that these suggestions have been made.
"If my wife had really wanted to go and live in Spain then she would have spoken to me long before now. She did not say a word about it during my five years in Turin.
"It displeases me that she has been blamed for certain things during a year which I have personally found difficult.
"But I will always remember my days at Juvenuts with great fondness. When I was playing in 1995 nobody looked at me or had heard of me. Juve took a chance and I learnt an incredible amount there."
