Triple treat for Ibra
Milan striker returns from ban with hat-trick against Palermo
ROME: Zlatan Ibrahimovic marked his return from a three-match ban with a first-half hat-trick as champions AC Milan routed Palermo 4-0 on Saturday, while Juventus suffered a setback when they were held 1-1 by Chievo.
The win allowed Milan to open a three-point lead over undefeated Juventus, who still have a game in hand but are handicapped by a vastly inferior goal difference.
“I’ll get the whole team to sign the ball and then take it home with me,” said Ibrahimovic, whose last hattrick was as a Juve player in 2005.
“We played an important game very well and must now keep going like this.”
Palermo had not lost to Milan at home since 2006 but Ibrahimovic soon put that record to bed by giving his side a 3-0 lead by the 35th minute.
He broke the deadlock in the 21st minute when Sulley Muntari set up Robinho, who found the big Swede in space to find the target with a left-footed curler.
Ten minutes later it was 2-0, when Ibrahimovic poked a low drive past goalkeeper Emiliano Viviano.
He completed his hat-trick after 35 minutes when he guided a shot inside the right-hand post from a few yards outside the area.
“We are playing the way we want, we are always dangerous when we attack,” said Ibrahimovic, who completed his ban with last week’s 1-1 draw at home to Juventus and joined Udinese’s Antonio Di Natale as Serie A leading scorer on 18 goals.
“It’s my second hat-trick in Italy but the goals are a bonus for me,” added the Swede.
“I didn’t like missing the Juventus match, I’ve suffered and I’ve paid but the team has done well without me.”
Milan’s rout was confirmed just before the hour mark when Thiago Silva headed in a cross from Stephan El Shaarawy.
“The chance of ending Palermo’s recent run of wins against Milan in the last six years gave us an extra incentive,” said coach Massimiliano Allegri.
Juventus, who had drawn 1-1 in a bad-tempered clash with Milan last weekend, went ahead against midtable Chievo after 18 minutes thanks to Paolo De Ceglie, despite the leftback appearing to be in an offside position.
But Chievo stunned the Turin giants with a 76th-minute equaliser through Boukary Drame, who found the target following a mazy dribble from Davide Moscardelli. — AFP