Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
GIANTS REMEMBER ME?
Zlatan hopes to steal the show in United rematch after taking centre stage at a huge music festival during injury lay-off
ZLATAN IBRAHIMOVIC will bid to steal the show on his return against Manchester United tonight after making his last public appearance on stage at a music festival.
The Swede missed AC Milan’s last four matches because of a thigh injury.
But the former Manchester United striker was still in the spotlight during his recovery when he appeared as a host of the high-profile Sanremo festival in Italy (below, right).
Ibrahimovic, 39, returned to full training this week and will be aiming to hit the right notes after being named in the Milan squad.
“We will see how he feels” said boss Stefano Pioli. “He is very important to us. I’m not sure if he has got 90 minutes in him.” We will see whether he can play for part of the game.” Ibrahimovic returned to Serie A in January last year and has scored 24 goals in 29 starts to help Milan into second place behind Antonio Conte’s Inter Milan.
“Certainly the arrival last January of Zlatan and Simon Kjaer has helped improve the team in terms of character,” added Pioli added.
“They are big voices on the pitch in the way we communicate. Zlatan is a great champion.
“I don’t know if he is a better player or presenter because I honestly didn’t watch Sanremo. But he is a big player on the pitch and we expect a great deal from him.”
Ibrahimovic has also come out of international retirement having been named in the Sweden squad this week for the first time since 2016.
Denmark defender Kjaer, who scored the last-gasp equaliser in the first leg at Old Trafford, said: “On and off the pitch, Zlatan will always give you something.”