Somewhere along the way, Zlatan Ibrahimovic decided he is bigger than life, or at leastĀ largerĀ and moreĀ importantĀ than anything else in football, allowing him to make insulting comments about, well, anyone and anything. Especially Barcelona and Pep Guardiola.
Maybe it’s knowing how much money has been paid for him over the years by Ajax, Juventus, Inter, Barcelona, AC Milan and PSG. Maybe it’s his scoring record, off to a roaring start in France with nine goals in the first seven matches. Or it might be the fact that he’s won 8 league titles in the past 9 seasons, although two of those titles have been removed (Juve).
Now, it’s on to attacking Mario Balotelli. Well, just hinting that he isn’t much of a player. During a press conference Ibrahimovic was aksed whether he thinks Balotelli is a good fit for Real Madrid. The answer? Zlatan has no boring, politically correct answers.
No. Mario Balotelli is a mediocre player, and he fits with a mediocre team. Like Barcelona.
Just like that, another quote that will live on forever. At least he didn’t actually refer to himself in the third person this time. Ibrahimovic has always been one to talk, but I think the relative failure at Barcelona (if you call scoring 16 goals in 29 matches, winning the La Liga title failing) changed something.
He then moved to AC Milan and the Serie A and everything was back to normal from him, helping him actually believe in the fact that when he’s given confidence, freedom and enough support from his manager, he’sĀ capableĀ of anything. He led Milan to their first title in 7 years in 2011. The next year he led the scoring in the league with 28 goals, as his team finished second behind Juventus. His hero like arrival to PSG didn’t hurt his ego as well. And the star on the walk of fame in Sweden. Everyone loves Zlatan.
Once in a while, it always comes. Firing like a machine gun when he’s in the mood about anyone who he feels has slighted him over the years. Pep Guardiola for example. But Pep isn’t working at the moment, and Zlatan needs someone to talk about, and say bad things. Good thing there’s always Barcelona, and Mario Balotelli got in the way.