A disallowed goal and unwanted FA Cup replay aside, there was one positive development for Alex Ferguson over the weekend with the news that Zinedine Zidane, the playmaker of Manchester United's Champions League semi-final opponents, limped off at half-time in Juventus's draw at home to Bologna.
The knee has been troubling him for a month. "I didn't come out for the second half because the joint was giving me trouble," said the Frenchman. "I didn't feel anything for the 90 minutes in Manchester but here all it needed was 45 minutes to cause me problems."
But Ferguson is too experienced to pin his hopes and plans on Zidane's latest setback. Before the first leg at Old Trafford the same injury had threatened to restrict the World Player of the Year to at best a cameo appearance but he lasted the 90 minutes and, with the tigerish Edgar Davids, dominated the midfield as Juventus drew 1-1.
After winning the World Cup with France last July Zidane promptly injured a knee. November brought another injury and last month he sustained his current problem, a twisted knee. "To win the World Cup was wonderful," he said recently, "but it was so hard to get back into it again. There were difficulties, especially in my head."
His 1998-99 season echoes that of his predecessor as World player of the year, Ronaldo. But whereas Internazionale have flopped as the Brazilian has barely completed a full 90 minutes all season, Zidane and Juventus, though similarly languishing in the league, are within sight of winning the Champions League.
Zidane has repeatedly shown his capacity to come back from injury and turn in top-class performances but critics say he tends to pick and choose his games; they question his commitment at times and can now cite the news last week that despite three years remaining on his contract he hopes to leave Juve this summer because his wife wants to live by the sea.
Juventus play the leaders Lazio on Saturday and the coach Carlo Ancelotti may not risk Zidane. But, even if he is absent this weekend, it will be no surprise if he takes the field against United next Wednesday. Zidane has his sights on the big prize and Ferguson's team are in the way.
