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Stam injury scare as Zidane threat grows
 
Jaap Stam last night flew back to Manchester a worried man after damaging theleft ankle that now threatens his place against Juventus, while the Italians' key man Zinedine Zidane vowed to be ready for the Champions League clash.

Stam was due to play for Holland in tonight's friendly with Argentina, but instead
national coach Frank Rijkaard allowed him home for vital treatment at Old Trafford.

Meanwhile, world footballer of the year Zidane was receiving treatment on an injured knee which will keep him out of France's European Championship meeting with Armenia.

But while Stam frets, Zidane insists he will play for Juventus in Manchester, despite being injured against Olympiakos in the Champions League quarter-final second leg.

The absence of Stam would be a massive blow to Alex Ferguson's hopes of reaching the Champions League final - especially if Zidane keeps his promise and plays.

But Stam had few words of comfort for his manager as he flew out of Amsterdam, having picked up the injury 24 hours earlier. He said: 'I am
concerned about my ankle. Luckily nothing is torn, but you never know how long these things will take to heal.

'I will have two days of intensive treatment at Old Trafford then see if I can run by the end of the week.

'I injured myself in a practice game on Monday and I came straight off. I was hoping it might clear up overnight but it has not got any better.

'This worry is obviously the last thing I need right now. We have a massive month coming up with so many important games - not only in the Champions League, but in the Premiership and the FA Cup - so I wanted to be ready.

'Now all I can do is have treatment and hope that I heal quickly.'Stam looks certain to miss United's visit to Wimbledon on Saturday, but the
loss of the �10.75m centre half, who has become such an influential figure since joining United from PSV Eindhoven last summer, would be an especially bad blow to Ferguson and his team in next Wednesday's Champions League semi-final, first leg.

Rijkaard said: 'We are sending Stam home because he cannot twist or turn on his ankle. It would have been too big a risk for him, for Holland and for United to play him against Argentina and the best place for him now is with the Manchester United physios.'

French World Cup hero Zidane is desperate to be at Old Trafford in the hope of ending the run that has left him a loser in three European finals - twice in the Champions League with Juventus and once with Bordeaux in the UEFA Cup.

He said: 'It has been a bad season for me because I have not been playing well and I have had injuries. 'The only way I can erase the memory of losing to Real Madrid in last season's final is to become a winner in this year's game in Barcelona - and Manchester United are standing in my way.'

 
Yorke heads the opener
Dwight Yorke scores the first of his two goals at OT
to defeat the mighty Inter Milan 2-0 in the first leg
of the quarter-final of the Champions league, the second leg is
in Milan on 17th March with United favorites to go through to the
next phase of the competition. United are now 9-4 favorites to win
the competion with Inter Milan quoted at 12-1






 
Jesper seeks talks with Fergie
Swedish international Jesper Blomqvist, who has started just two matches this season, is said to be unhappy about his lack of first-team chances at Old Trafford.

Ferguson lured Blomqvist to the club saying that Ryan Giggs would switch to the middle to accomodate him but this has not happened even after the Welshman picked up injuries.

Meanwhile, Ole Gunnar Solksjaer was on target for Norway as they beat Greece 2-0 in Athens. And there was a Champions League flavour to Denmark's Euro qualifier defeat to Italy.

In what was perhaps a warning to United, Filippo Inzaghi and Antonio Conte Juventus and Italy both beat Peter Schmeichel in the Danes' goal to earn their country a 2-0 victory.





 
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