Evening Telegraph (First Edition)
Zlatan’s recovery doubt
ZLATAN I brahimovic i s beginning a “really hard” rehabilitation process from his knee li gament injury because of his age, according to Manchester United boss Jose Mourinho.
The 35-year-old Swede and defender Marcos Rojo have both suffered what their club have termed “significant knee-ligament damage”, with the former’s United future in jeopardy given his deal expires this summer.
Whether he even returns to the game at all is not a question Mourinho is contemplating but he did concede at this stage of his career, Ibrahimovic’s road to recovery is a long one.
Prior to United’s 2-0 win over Burnley yesterday, Mourinho said: “The injuries are really big. No player deserves t o be injured but t hese t wo cases are even more sad.
“Zlatan, in this phase of his career, it is really hard and Marcos was i n the best moment of his career, playing very well for us and finally getting a position as a central defender in the national team. It’s really sad for them.
“I know (how long they will be out for) but it is for the medical department to be more specific and they prefer to wait a couple more days because the players want to see other specialists and to have an extra opinion and we have to respect that. But they are important injuries.”
Asked whether Ibrahimovic would play again, the Portuguese replied: “I don’t care about it in this moment, I just want the player to recover the best he can.”