CHAMPIONS' LEAGUE : Zidane Doubtful for Galatasaray Match
Copyright � 1998 Nando.net
Copyright � 1998 Reuters
TURIN, Italy (Sep 14, 1998 - 13:13 EDT) - French star Zinedine Zidane is doubtful for Juventus' European Champions League debut against Galatasaray on Wednesday night, as coach Marcello Lippi faces a growing injury list.
Zidane limped off after taking a knock on his right knee after half an hour of Sunday's season-opener against Perugia. Though the injury is not serious, the amount of bruising left little room for optimism on Monday.
'If the match was tomorrow, he couldn't play,' Juventus' team doctor Riccardo Agricola told AFP. 'Given that we have 48 hours, let's hope that he can make it. But it's not certain that he will.
'It wasn't possible to check on the knee today, we'll have a look tomorrow morning. Bruises are a bit strange, they can clear up very quickly or they can stay the same.'
But assessing the degree of the damage, he added: 'The bruising is fairly substantial.'
Juventus, who have reached the last three European Cup finals, will definitely start their new campign in Istanbul without key central defender Mark Iuliano.
Iuliano, who blossomed after standing in for Ciro Ferrara, tore a thigh muscle at Perugia and will be out for at least a month. Ferrara, who broke his leg last February, will not be back until October.
Uruguayan defender Paolo Montero has also been ruled of Wednesday's tie with back trouble.
Lippi has three men available to move into Iuliano's central position, 20- year-old Croatian Igor Tudor, who scored on his league debut on Sunday, Alessio Tacchinardi and Alessandro Birindelli.
