Zidane hopes thigh injury will only keep him out of one game
ZINEDINE ZIDANE is hoping his thigh injury clears up in time to ensure he misses only one game of France’s bid to retain the World Cup.
The French playmaker has been ruled out of Friday’s World Cup opener against Senegal in Seoul after pulling up midway through a 3-2 friendly win over co-hosts South Korea on Sunday.
French Football Federation president Claude Simonet suggested early yesterday that Zidane would also be out for the second group match against Uruguay but the number 10 is determined to make a quick recovery.
Italy’s injured star striker Filippo Inzaghi is unlikely to be fit in time for Italy’s opening World Cup match against Ecuador in a week, but should be able to play against Croatia, coach Giovanni Trapattoni admitted.
“I don’t think he will have to go home. “His knee isn’t swollen and he was in a good mood this morning,” Trapattoni told reporters at the team’s training camp in Sendai.
“He’s unlikely to be ready for the first match (against Ecuador on June 3), but it’s more likely that he’ll be there five days later,” for the Croatia tie on June 8, Trapattoni said.
Inzaghi sustained the knock to his left knee in the 29th minute of Sunday’s friendly match against Kashima Antlers, which Italy won 2-1. It is a similar injury to one that kept him out for much of last season.
