Zebina: “Desperate to play”
“I’m still only about 80% physically. There are certain physical movements I need to get used to again but I’m hoping to be back soon. It’s unfortunate, but these things can happen in the career of a football player. I wish it wasn’t the case as I’m desperate to play, but I’m doing all I can to get back to full fitness”. Jonathan Zebina is working hard to regain peak physical condition after a troubled year and half in and out of the treatment room.
His battle with injury has not been easy and his ongoing problems came under scrutiny during the Bianconeri’s away trip to Napoli earlier last month. Having warmed up as a substitute during the first half of the 1-1 draw, the defender later decided against coming on after Nicola Legrottaglie was forced to withdraw from the field with a shoulder injury.
Jonathan took the opportunity presented by this afternoon’s press conference to explain his actions. “I’d been training all week in the run up to the game but on the Friday and Saturday beforehand we carried out warm down sessions in training and I started to feel the pain again. On Sunday morning the boss asked me if I was able to make the trip and, given that we had eight players out and the team was in difficulty, I said yes. That was my mistake, I should have said no then. During the game itself, I started warming up in the first half when Nicola first got injured but the pain was still there. When Nicola was later stretchered off the Prof [fitness trainer Pintus] asked me if I was alright to come on but after a year and an half out injured, and with the situation out there on the pitch, I knew I couldn’t. After such a long time without playing, I didn’t feel it was worth risking it, for the good of the club as well as my own. What use is an injured Zebina after all? My original decision came from a desire to help out the club in a difficult moment and I’m just sorry it finished the way it did”.
Jonathan then commented on the five game ban handed to Pavel Nedved following his red card in Genoa. “You would normally expect a five game ban for fighting, or spitting, or insulting the ref. Pavel’s tackle didn’t seem all that bad so I think five games is rather excessive. It’s a real shame as he’s in great form and we all know how important he is to the team”. Luckily for Juventus, there are a host of young players ready to step into the breach. “The young guys have shown great quality, I truly believe that all of them have what it takes to play at the highest level. This team isn’t just about eleven starting players, the group is more important than ever this year and so far everyone’s answered the call when needed. We definitely have the technical ability to make the difference week in, week out”.
“I’m still only about 80% physically. There are certain physical movements I need to get used to again but I’m hoping to be back soon. It’s unfortunate, but these things can happen in the career of a football player. I wish it wasn’t the case as I’m desperate to play, but I’m doing all I can to get back to full fitness”. Jonathan Zebina is working hard to regain peak physical condition after a troubled year and half in and out of the treatment room.
His battle with injury has not been easy and his ongoing problems came under scrutiny during the Bianconeri’s away trip to Napoli earlier last month. Having warmed up as a substitute during the first half of the 1-1 draw, the defender later decided against coming on after Nicola Legrottaglie was forced to withdraw from the field with a shoulder injury.
Jonathan took the opportunity presented by this afternoon’s press conference to explain his actions. “I’d been training all week in the run up to the game but on the Friday and Saturday beforehand we carried out warm down sessions in training and I started to feel the pain again. On Sunday morning the boss asked me if I was able to make the trip and, given that we had eight players out and the team was in difficulty, I said yes. That was my mistake, I should have said no then. During the game itself, I started warming up in the first half when Nicola first got injured but the pain was still there. When Nicola was later stretchered off the Prof [fitness trainer Pintus] asked me if I was alright to come on but after a year and an half out injured, and with the situation out there on the pitch, I knew I couldn’t. After such a long time without playing, I didn’t feel it was worth risking it, for the good of the club as well as my own. What use is an injured Zebina after all? My original decision came from a desire to help out the club in a difficult moment and I’m just sorry it finished the way it did”.
Jonathan then commented on the five game ban handed to Pavel Nedved following his red card in Genoa. “You would normally expect a five game ban for fighting, or spitting, or insulting the ref. Pavel’s tackle didn’t seem all that bad so I think five games is rather excessive. It’s a real shame as he’s in great form and we all know how important he is to the team”. Luckily for Juventus, there are a host of young players ready to step into the breach. “The young guys have shown great quality, I truly believe that all of them have what it takes to play at the highest level. This team isn’t just about eleven starting players, the group is more important than ever this year and so far everyone’s answered the call when needed. We definitely have the technical ability to make the difference week in, week out”.
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