PEOPLE AND PLACES IN THE NEWS
C
ontroversy 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 semi-
finals, where he was overshadowed by
LAFC’s Carlos Vela, who was namedthe 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 ex-
Croatia striker Mario Mandzukic moved
from Juventus to Qatari side Al Duhail.
John HolmesdaleThreat...causing
problems for Milan
against SampdoriaProtest...Malmo supporters have made their feelings known by vandalising a statue of their former player outside the Eleda StadionIbrahimovic 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”
Pledge...he has
bought into
Hammarby