Zlatan Ibrahimovic
Questions raised over Swede’s move back to Milan
Controversy is never far away where Zlatan Ibrahimovic is concerned, and it is a measure of the size of his ego that, even at 38, he still believes he has something to offer Italian football, and in particular Milan.
The Swede re-joined Milan in January on a six-month deal, having been a free agent since leaving LA Galaxy after the MLS play-offs.
Ibrahimovic had announced his intention to leave Los Angeles in suitably dramatic style with a social media post that read: “I came, I saw, I conquered. Thank you LA Galaxy, making me feel alive again. To the Galaxy fans – you wanted Zlatan, I gave you Zlatan. You are welcome. The story continues...now go back to watch baseball.”
He scored 52 goals in 56 games in two seasons for Galaxy, but his final game ended in defeat to city rivals Los Angeles FC in the play-off semifinals, where he was overshadowed by LAFC’s Carlos Vela, who was named the league’s Most Valuable Player.
Whether Ibrahimovic can now make a significant contribution at Milan remains to be seen. They are currently a shadow of the side that he left in 2012, after winning the title in 2011 and finishing the following season as Serie A’s top scorer.
Milan went into the Italian winter break this term in 12th place with new coach Stefano Pioli struggling to breathe life into the side since his appointment in October. Ibrahimovic made his debut as a substitute in a disappointing 0-0 draw at home to Sampdoria.
The early signs are that Ibrahimovic will struggle to live up to his promise, but his career record remains outstanding, having won an incredible 13 league titles over 15 seasons in Holland (with Ajax), Italy (Juventus, Internazionale and Milan), Spain (Barcelona) and France (Paris Saint-Germain). The Champions League has remained elusive but he did win the 2017 Europa League with Manchester United, although a serious injury ruled him out of the Final against his former club Ajax and also curtailed his second season at Old Trafford.
A move back to Sweden seemed a strong possibility after he purchased a stake in Stockholm club Hammarby, but he remains a controversial figure in the country of his birth, where a statue of him outside Malmo’s stadium has been vandalised on a number of occasions, with the latest attack resulting in the sculpture being sawn at the ankles.
Although Ibrahimovic began his career with Malmo he has irritated his former club’s fans with his ambition to make rivals Hammarby “the biggest in Scandinavia”.
Meanwhile, Ibrahimovic was by no means the only veteran on the move early in the January window.
Former Werder Bremen and Chelsea starlet Marko Marin left Belgrade’s Red Star for Saudi Arabia’s Al Ahli, while exCroatia striker Mario Mandzukic moved from Juventus to Qatari side Al Duhail.
Ibrahimovic began his career with Malmo, but he has irritated his former club’s fans with his ambition to make rivals Hammarby “the biggest in Scandinavia”