There’s no other way he’d prefer it to be. Zlatan Ibrahimovic loves the fact that every ball, every pass and every decision on attack goes through him. Paris Saint-Germain, like AC Milan in the past two years, are completely dependent on the form and decision making of the Sweden international, just the way Zlatan likes it.

Leading the table after scoring 17 goals this season in France, Zlatan Ibrahimovic has scored 10 of them. There’s no way getting around it. The moment Ibrahimovic starts playing with a team, the entire style and focus must revolve around his abilities, his talents, his presence. He’s that good that he can make it work for a title, like it has worked for 8 consecutive seasons playing for Ajax, Juventus, Inter, Barcelona and Milan, although the Juve titles were stripped from the club.

In Barcelona, things didn’t work out so well. In Zlatan’s mind, no one’s bigger and more important than him. It doesn’t have to be about goals all the time, but it has to be about him playing the pivot role, getting his touch through every attack. It might slow things down, which wasn’t something Pep Guardiola liked very much, but he’s the best striker in the world for a reason. Things, good things happen when he gets his touches.

Same as it was against Dinamo Zagreb. Four assists, which is even rarer than four goals in one match. Ibahimovic doesn’t need the goals. He needs the respect and recognition. The feeling that they win because of him, because of his action. A feeling that he’s so far been enjoying from the moment he signed for the new rich-boys of European football.