The star remains ultra-motivated, as evidenced by his bloody face during his last appearance, against Bologna (0-0) ten days ago, or his permanent advice from the bench where he sits too often for his taste.

Swedish striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic complains to the referee after being injured in an aerial duel with a Bologna player, during the 31st day of Serie A, April 4, 2022 at the San Siro Stadium MIGUEL MEDINA AFP /Archives

But the colossus is increasingly betrayed by his legs.

Ibrahimovic is still out for ten days due to left knee pain.

He is therefore forfeited for the reception of Genoa on Friday (9:00 p.m.) in Serie A but especially for the two shocks of next week: the derby against Inter Milan in the semi-final return of the Italian Cup (0-0 at the go) then the trip to Lazio Rome in the league.

The "quadra" have followed almost half of the matches from the stands this season, between his recovery after surgery on his left knee in June and two Achilles tendon injuries in September and February.

In all, 19 appearances in the league, including only 11 as a starter, in 31 days, with an average playing time of around fifty minutes per game played.

Giroud become indispensable

In the Champions League, where he could go down in history as the oldest goalscorer in the competition, he only had one tenure (and three appearances), without scoring and without avoiding the last place in the group. to the Rossoneri.

So of course, in the locker room, his experience remains valuable - he was in the last Milan team crowned champion in 2011 - in a still young workforce, currently at the top of the championship.

"He's a fighter. (...) He always wants to help us. And when he talks to you, we listen to him!", Testified in March Théo Hernandez in L'Equipe.

But his repeated injuries, depriving him of rhythm, put his future in question, while his contract ends in June.

AC Milan has not suffered too much from its dotted performance (8 goals, none for three months) thanks to the rise of Olivier Giroud, the understudy who has become essential at the forefront.

French strikers Olivier Giroud and Swedish Zlatan Ibrahimovic, during the 18th day of Serie A against Naples, December 19, 2021 at the San Siro Stadium MIGUEL MEDINA AFP / Archives

According to indiscretions from the Italian press, the club will let Ibrahimovic decide whether to continue for another year or stop.

This does not prevent the Rossoneri from working to rejuvenate their attack by probing players like Divock Origi (26) and Gianluca Scamacca (23) for next season.

"Listen to your body"

"Zlatan has the intelligence and the character to make the best choice, we will be with him whatever his decision," his coach Stefano Pioli told the press on Thursday.

Ibrahimovic had not hidden his "panic" to stop football in March: "I know that I would have other possibilities, but this adrenaline that I have on the lawn I will not find it anywhere else", had -he confessed before the play-offs for the World Cup-2022.

Swedish AC Milan striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic, before the match of the 18th day of Serie A against Naples, on December 19, 2021 at the San Siro Stadium Miguel MEDINA AFP / Archives

The non-qualification of the Swedes for Qatar deprives him of a good objective to continue to maintain his body.

Even if he assures that he wants to continue in selection, with whom he reconnected last year without however being able to compete in the Euro because of his knee operation.

Some, like ex-Italian international Luca Toni, push him to think about "stopping at the top, at the level he has been at all his life": "It would be a shame to see a champion like Ibrahimovic play little and when he the fact of not meeting expectations", he estimated on Wednesday in the Gazzetta dello Sport.

AC Milan's Swedish striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic, during the match of the 17th day of Serie A against Udinese, on December 11, 2021 in Udine Marco BERTORELLO AFP / Archives

Francesco Totti, who retired at the age of 40 in 2017, has only one piece of advice for the Swede: "I hope to see you still exulting after a few goals during these last days of the championship. Then, at the end of the season , listen to your body: it will tell you what to do".

© 2022 AFP