Zidane Wants Neutral Venue for Champions League Match
Copyright � 1998 Nando Media
Copyright � 1998 Agence France-Presse
TURIN (Nov 25, 1998 - 12:39 EST) - Striker Zinedine Zidane said on Wednesday that he and his Juventus teammates wanted their postponed European Champions' League match against Turkey's Galatasaray to be played at a neutral venue.
"We're not going to Istanbul, it's too risky," the French international told reporters at a training session.
"I'm only speaking for myself, but all my teammates feel the same way. Galatasaray-Juventus should be played somewhere other than Turkey," he added.
The match was to have been played on Wednesday but, after a request from Juventus owner Gianni Agnelli, UEFA's executive committee on Monday postponed it until Dec. 2 because of a diplomatic crisis between Turkey and Italy.
Italy and Turkey are at odds over the fate of Kurdish separatist guerrilla leader Abdullah Ocalan, blamed by Ankara for the deaths of 29,000 people in a 14-year rebellion.
Italy arrested Ocalan, Turkey's most wanted man, on Nove. 12, but has rejected calls to send him home where he could face the death penalty and is waiting to hear whether Germany wants him extradited to face charges there.
The row has provoked a wave of anti-Italian anger. Thousands of protesters marched through streets across Turkey last weekend, burning Italian flags and goods.
