Zlatan Ibrahimovic was interviewed by Massimo Ambrosini for Sky Sport. The Swede indulged in a long and interesting chat with his former teammate. Here are all his statements:
Zlatan meets Ambrosini: “You’ve aged (laughs, ed)”.
What room do you have? “I have the boss’s room, the big one (laughs)”.
What effect does Milanello have on you? “I feel at home. When I’m here I do everything that needs to be done, I’m not in a hurry to go home because I’m already home. I was already here 10 years ago with you great players. I don’t remember my first day… Ah yes, the strength tests, I made the records (laughs, ed). Without heating. The week before we had played Barcelona-Milan and then the following week I was with you, in the tunnel everyone was telling me to go back to Milan with you. Galliani was there, he had come to my house in Barcelona. He told me “I won’t move from here until you come with me”. My wife asked me who he was, I told her “An important person”. In Barcelona the situation was not clear, I still don’t have the answers on what the real problem was. Even today I don’t understand what the problems were. It was me man and I said I would go away. There was Milan and other teams, but I told myself I know Milan. A great club like Milan, if he calls you, it stimulates you and means something. With the players who were here I had a lot of stimuli. I was hoping, indeed I knew that we would win something. I like these challenges, when people talk against me they charge me, they give me adrenaline to show that it’s not what they say ”.
How is it that they say? “Always the opposite. We work in silence and demonstrate on the pitch. Now it was another situation, 10 years ago it was another challenge. Everyone said it would be impossible, these things charge me. If I can do something like that it’s bigger than going to play in a great team already at the top. Here you have to be the one to bring the team back to the top, you have to make others understand what it means to be at the top ”.
Were you afraid when you signed up? “I was not afraid. It was the same situation as when I signed to United, everyone said that the pace of the Premier was too tiring. I do the opposite of what everyone says “.
Do you feel different? “Very different. Ten years ago I was another player, ten years ago I went back to go get the ball. Today I don’t do it, I think that if I go back I waste energy and I am not useful in attack. Ten years ago if the ball didn’t come perfect with those players… Now let’s play another way. You weren’t very positive for this year, but I already told you “I’ll take care of it”. Even today the bulls are a battle here. I felt alive with the competition. Ten years ago there were players who had a different status, more personality and character. It was another ego. Today I get angry the same, maybe even more. But I have balance. If I see that someone can’t do it then I change my strategy. I used to treat everyone the same. I can’t change you, you have to be yourself. The person must be himself, when you are young you are more rock and roll, but now I understand the situation more. I ask a lot, if you don’t train well I’ll tell you something, I don’t accept a wrong step, all this still today. Then it’s up to you how you take it, how you train and how you play. My philosophy is this, then perhaps for the Brazilians it is different. They train quietly and then put on a show in the game. Now they told me “show the way and we will follow you”.
With Seedorf: “It was another experience, you had already won a lot. I wanted to win again, but it was just a matter of bringing out the latest adrenaline. I loaded them all. But there were also many who charged me. Seedorf was a great character, one of the strongest players I have played with, he also had a great character. He answered you. Confrontation is part of the team ”.
I wanted to play against you to beat you in the matches: “I have a rate of 99% of games won (laughs, ed). No maybe 95%. But I remember very well that I won 90-95% of the games, then in the locker room it was a war (laughs, ed) ”.
You are bigger: “I’m training a lot. With age it is important to understand how I am physically. But now they are much better than before ”.
On Pioli: “Each year that passes the player changes. We have a coach who asks to play precisely. I like how we play, he found a way to get the most out of my qualities. He makes me play in the best way to help the team. He talks a lot with me and asks me so many things as he asks a lot of the team. It is normal that I always want to play, but it is also he who always tells me to play even when I want to rest. I’m available, even when he asks me to play 45 ‘in EL. I’m available, my teammates respect me a lot and I help them. I feel this sense of responsibility a lot and I like it a lot ”.
On the team: “The team is very hungry and eager, we are doing well. There are no goals or dreams, we play one game at a time. I have my goal, but for the team it is to do better than last year. We watch one game at a time. The team is very young, they don’t have the felling to win something. They don’t have this fixed thinking about goals. We don’t have to relax, and here I am. You don’t have to be satisfied. We know that the team is not like Inter and Juventus who have a larger staff. We are young, maybe someone is not ready to play all the games. The sense is that we have to win if we want something, they are not used to it. Against Rio Ave there was the pressure, they started playing for something. They have some experience but they are not used to it ”.
Can the team aim for the Champions League? “I think so. I played 8 months here, I think so. But it’s not just quality or talent that matters, sacrifice and discipline count. All small details that make the difference ”.
On the air, joking with Ambrosini: “Right now this is my house, you are my guest (they laugh, ed)”.
Ibra jokes: “Do you want to know my secrets? I won’t tell you, otherwise other Ibras will come out in the world (laughs, ed) ”.
“I don’t like it when they always agree with me. It looks like I’m the boss, but that’s not the situation. I am myself and then we discuss, otherwise it is not good for everyone to agree with you and not express themselves. Comparison is important ”.
Have you seen The Last Dance? “I liked it. They have always said that playing with me is difficult, I am aggressive. Then when Last Dance came out it is the perfect example. I’m not saying I’m Jordan, but I have that way of working. It is a mentality to win. I put a lot of pressure, I ask a lot, I don’t accept a wrong ball, at these levels we are all here to make the performance. At Milan they ask you a lot because you have to win. In my world I do everything to win. In my world it is normal if you do things well, if you make a mistake it is normal for someone to point it out to you. Am I exaggerating? I’m still here, I’ve won what I’ve won. There is a reason. There is so much pressure to be at this level and not everyone understands it because they are not at these levels for long. I’ve been here forever. Either you eat or they eat you. I have chosen to eat ”.
When you stop what are you going to do? “I do not know. I have two children, two lives in another life. With them I put pressure and discipline, they have to understand how things work. Discipline, respect and sacrifice. It’s the detail that builds you. Coach? I do not think so. It is a very stressful thing. If you’ve been a footballer, stay off the pitch giving directions to others and maybe they can’t … As long as I can continue to feel good playing. When you are old we only talk about the physical, as with Totti. There is no lack of qualities. If one has rhythm, he can do it. That’s the important thing. You do not lose quality, it is impossible. It’s a physical matter ”.
Sometimes players don’t realize: “That’s ego, they don’t accept it’s over. You think you are still the strongest, you are not realistic. I don’t have this ego, I’m a realist. After the injury I went to America to start from 0. I told Mourinho not to call me, I was not the same Ibra as before. After two years in America I felt alive, so I went back to Europe to see if I could do it, that’s why I signed for 6 months. It doesn’t matter what people say, you have to be confident but also be realistic. At the beginning I was not very well, I hadn’t played for a month. It’s hard to get into the rhythm ”.
Pioli’s confirmation and renewal: “Pioli asked me what I wanted to do. I told him “Enough, I don’t continue”. I was worried about sacrifices and thought about the family that is in Sweden. If I do another year like these six months, no. Pioli told me “I respect you”. The next day he called me back: “It’s not that simple. Yesterday I left you too easily. If you don’t stay here it will be something else ”. I told him “Mister, I’ve decided”. After that I went on vacation. The contract was not important, at this age it is useless. I just need respect and values. The challenge, however, was beautiful and difficult. But I also came to think that I didn’t want to have regrets. So I called Mino and told him “Close everything, let’s go ahead”. But at the beginning I said no, that next year I would not be staying ”.
On the injury at United: “I always said I was going to quit at the top, and I thought about quitting because I was 35. I was going to enter a new chapter of my life with my family. But after the injury I returned to the field and I realized I had to continue. I thank football. Who am I without football? It is not easy to quit. I’m not afraid, but I don’t know what awaits me. I’m not ready to quit, I feel too good. At this level I play as long as I can do something, if I can’t I don’t want to. That’s why I signed up for 6 months in January, it was to be honest with them and with myself. I didn’t know if after six months I would still be here ”.
Are you okay in Milan? “Very well, but I miss family. It’s not easy, it’s the first time I’ve been in a club without them. The sporting goal takes away the lack of family from my mind ”.
On Covid: “We are in a particular moment. In January Milan was better than 10 years ago, an international city. Then came Covid, the city suffers a lot and I’m sorry. The dome? The important thing is that the Duomo sees me (laughs, ed). I make the story, I’m not interested in other stories ”.
On the stimuli: “There is too much positivity here, I don’t like it, now it’s too easy. I like it more if they attack me and therefore I grow even more. I have stimuli but I need more adrenaline. But I am the example of the team, I can’t to do nonsense. But I want something to happen, these things charge me “.
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