Cannavaro at the centre of a storm

ITALIAN star Fabio Cannavaro is at the centre of a controversy over tv footage of him having a legal substance injected into him in 1999.

The video shows Cannavaro being injected with a substance called Neoton which is not on the banned list.

The incident happened the day before the 1999 UEFA Cup final when his then employers Parma beat Marseille 3-0 in Moscow.

Cannavaro, who has since joined Juventus after a spell at Inter Milan, featured in the video aired by Italy’s national broadcasters RAI.

He was defended by Lilian Thuram, his team-mate at Juve who also played alongside him at Parma.

Thuram insisted: “They are trying to taint a person. Everyone knows this substance is not illicit but from now on there will be cast some doubt.

“They are destroying football. The only reason for this is to increase audience figures and create doubt.”

Meanwhile Zinedine Zidane believes Real Madrid are not getting the best out of him since Brazilian coach Wanderley Luxemburgo stuck him on the left wing.

“I don’t have the acceleration I had when I was 20 or 25,” the 32-year-old said. “If you play on the wing and you’re not quick you can’t play your best.”

He wants to revert to a central role. “Everybody know I’m best there,” he added.