TURIN World Footballer of the Year Zinedine Zidane is under his wife's thumb, according to Juventus owner Gianni Agnelli. Agnelli was asked at a club training session if Zidane was suffering from nostalgia following comments by the French playmaker that he may leave Juventus at the end of the season because his Spanish-born wife is not happy in Turin. "He's not suffering from nostalgia.

That's not the point," Agnelli said. "He's suffering from the wife's authority. There's nothing I can do about that." Zidane has said he would consider a move to Spain to please his wife, prompting speculation he could join either Real Madrid or Atletico Madrid next year. Real Madrid President Lorenzo Sanz was quoted last week as saying the club had been offered Zidane and that Real were keen to sign him.

Zidane has a contract at Juventus until 2004. He is due to play in Juve's European cup semifinal against Manchester United today. (Reuter)