Zidane's Back as Strong as Ever
Zizou is back. France may not be top of their European Championship group and Juventus may not lead Serie A but now that Zinedine Zidane is back at 100 per cent, nothing is impossible.
The World Footballer of 1998 has had a bad year. While he limped through last season with a damaged left knee, France lost control of their qualifying section and Juventus crashed out of Europe and slipped so far down the Italian league that they
ended up in the InterToto Cup. Zidane himself even allowed the gossips to talk of a possible transfer to Spain.
Immediately term was over, Juventus sent him home to France for knee surgery. Zidane claims that the anaesthetic helped clear his head as well. his return for France in the 0-0 draw against group leaders Ukraine in Kiev on Saturday, he was their outstanding player, twice going close to scoring a winner. He said: 'It's like coming out of a bad dream. After the operation all the pain came back and the knee started swelling.
'That's when you start to panic but you have to balance your desire to play against the time your body needs to heal. I have seen too many rush back and some have ruined their careers.
'This is my first serious injury since turning professional. I spent six weeks without football.
I couldn't even kick a ball and I even cut it out of my mind. Now I feel fresher than ever at the start of a new season. I feel so hungry for the ball.'
As far as European qualification is concerned, World Cup-holders France must still look to the play-offs since Saturday's draw allowed Ukraine to maintain their narrow lead.
France coach Roger Lemerre's gamble on Nicolas Anelka misfired. Real Madrid's controversial acquisition from Arsenal was substituted 10 minutes into the second half. Lemerre said: 'He was not 100 per cent and we never intended him to play for
all the game.'
