Football: Zidane's injury adds to worries for Juventus

JUST AS Manchester United managed to avoid the danger of Ronaldo in the first leg of their European Cup quarter-final against Internazionale, so they may be spared the threat of Zinedine Zidane, the Brazilian's successor to the title of the world's greatest footballer, in the first of their two semi-final meetings with Juventus at Old Trafford on Wednesday.

The Frenchman, who scored two of his country's goals in the World Cup final last July, was injured in the second leg of his club's quarter-final against Olympiakos of Athens two and a half weeks ago and has not played since. He missed France's Euro 2000 qualifying games against the Ukraine last Saturday and Armenia on Wednesday, to the team's obvious detriment.

Yesterday he made an appearance at Turin's Stadio Communale, the old stadium which Juventus now use as a training ground, but was unable to take part in exercises with the rest of the squad. With his right leg heavily bandaged from mid-thigh to mid-calf, he jogged along the touchline and occasionally attempted a gentle jinking exercise.

Zidane will not travel with the rest of the team to Empoli for today's match against Serie A's bottom club, but Juventus's new coach, Carlo Ancelotti, refused to rule out the possibility of an appearance in Manchester. "If I had to make a decision today on the side for Wednesday's match, I couldn't pick him," he said yesterday. "But between now and Wednesday, anything can happen. So we must be hopeful. At the moment I'd say there's an even chance."

Juventus, the Italian champions, are suffering from uncertain league form and a rash of absences as they prepare to challenge for a place in the European Cup final for the fourth consecutive year.

Alessandro Del Piero, their star forward, has been out of action since collecting a knee injury in October and is unlikely to return before the end of the season. Thierry Henry, purchased from Monaco before Christmas and praised for his contribution to two good wins by the France Under-21 side in the past few days, is ineligible. Lastly, Paolo Montero, the small but powerful Uruguayan central defender, has a leg injury and his chances of playing at Old Trafford, like Zidane's, are rated by Ancelotti at no better than 50-50.