The Swedish legend, AC Milan’s ex-striker star Zlatan Ibrahimovic has now come under a huge avalanche of criticism in Milan.
AC Milan, who last won the Italian championship in the 2021–22 season and finished second last season, has started their season on a sticky note.
In Serie A, it has won one of its four matches – Joel Pohjanpalon and Jesse Joronen against Venezia. The Champions League started with a 1–3 home loss to Liverpool.
The scapegoat has been found.
Zlatan Ibrahimovic ended his soaring career in the spring of 2023. Already in December of the same year, Milan’s owner RedBird Capital announced that the Swede would return with the title of “senior advisor”. The job description is extensive and significant.
Ibrahimovic works with RedBird’s investment team in sports, media and entertainment. In Milan, he influences acquisitions and player development. He is even credited as the founder of RedBird Gerry Cardinalen “right”.
– Already after six months, my hair has turned gray, Ibrahimovic wondered in the summer.
There are more gray hairs now. After the Lazio draw in Milan, it was infuriating that Ibrahimovic was not in the game, but on vacation. Supplier Pietro Mazzaran by Ibrahimovic does “everything wrong”.
Also Paulo Fonseca hiring as head coach has attracted criticism. Responsibility for that also falls on Ibrahimovic – especially considering his familiar self-confident statements.
As Liverpool sought victory, Ibrahimovic had to answer critical questions. He got into a heated war of words with another Milan legend, a TV expert Zvonimir Boban with.
Boban stated that nobody understands Ibrahimovic’s role, leadership style or responsibility.
– Nobody understands? Then I explain: I am the one who decides.
– When the lion is gone, the cat comes closer. When the lion returns, the cat disappears. The level is low. Lots of talk. It’s simple. I decide and others listen, frustrated Ibrahimovic confused.
In Sweden, the treatment of the legend is naturally a big news topic.
– As long as the results remain bad, there will be criticism. Right now, Zlatan is the clearest target for anger, stated the football columnist Therese Strömberg.
In Milan, they talk about the “week of destiny”. There was already a defeat for Liverpool. On Thursday, Ibrahimovic had given a long motivational speech at Milan’s training center. Sky Italy called it as a “crisis meeting”.
Saturday’s derby is against Inter. If the head coach gets the boot after six games, can Ibrahimovic continue as well?
– San Siro is not San Remo, wrote the columnist GB Olivero.
Sources: ESPN, Aftonbladet, Reuters, SemperMilan, SVT, Sky