TURIN, Italy, Oct 26 (Reuters) - Juventus and France midfielder Zinedine Zidane has apologised for his sending off in Tuesday's Champions League defeat to Hamburg.
'I am very unhappy about what happened, and I know full well
that behaving like that put my team mates in a difficult
position.
'The pressure on the pitch led me to react in an instinctive
manner that was produced by the tension of the moment. This is
why I feel the need to apologise,' the player said in a
statement on Juve's official website.
Zidane is likely to face a lengthy suspension by UEFA's
disciplinary committee on Friday.
The former World Player of the Year was dismissed in the
29th minute for head-butting Hamburg defender Jochen Kientz, and
team mate Edgar Davids was dismissed four minutes later for a
second bookable offence.
Playing with nine men for the remaining 57 minutes, Juventus
lost 3-1 and must now win their final game away to Greek club
Panathinaikos to be sure of a place in the second phase of the
competition.
- NEWS