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A year and a half after leaving Europe for the United States, Zlatan Ibrahimovic returns to one of his former clubs, AC Milan. The Swede and the Rossoneri announce, Friday, December 27, a mutual commitment for the next six months. The 38-year-old striker's mission is to help restore the Milanese coat of arms, which has been dull for several seasons.
We thought he was gone for a last challenge across the Atlantic. It was very similar when, in March 2018, Zlatan Ibrahimovic left Manchester United for the Los Angeles Galaxy in Major League Soccer. But the Swede still managed to surprise the world of football. Here he is back in Serie A, the Italian championship. Where he rose among the best players in the world. This December 27, 2019, as a slightly late Christmas present, the supporters of AC Milan see their former pyrotechnician return.
#IZBACK đź”´âš«
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A year and a half of messy goals in Los Angeles
In 2020, in a few days, Zlatan Ibrahimovic will experience his 21st year as a professional footballer. It seems far away, the time of his debut in his native country, Sweden, at Malmö FF. The attacker is decidedly apart. At his age - he turned 38 at the beginning of October - many players have already hung up their crampons. He has not yet finished with his playing career. His American experience is there to prove it: the athletic goalscorer still has beautiful remains.
Certainly, MLS is not as tough as the best European championships. Nevertheless, with the Los Angeles Galaxy, Ibrahimovic showed that he was still in good shape and able to make the decision. In 58 games with the Californian club, the former PSG player scored 54 goals and delivered 17 assists. Not really the performance of a good player for retirement.
In mid-November, "Ibracadabra" said goodbye to the United States in its own way: while bragging, despite the absence of a title. " I came, I saw, I won. Thank you, the Los Angeles Galaxy, for bringing me back to life. To Galaxy fans: you wanted Zlatan, I gave you Zlatan. You're welcome. The story continues ... Now go back to baseball, "he said with his usual provocation. The story of the footballer Zlatan continues, indeed. Or rather, it resumes.
AC Milan badly needs a goal scorer
For the next six months, Zlatan Ibrahimovic will be Milanese. This is the agreement that was reached between the player and the club. The red and black tunic of the Lombards, the Swede knows it well. Between 2010 and 2012, the striker played for AC Milan, with some success: Italian champion in 2010-2011, top scorer in Serie A in 2011-2012 with 28 goals… Ibrahimovic wore Milan for two seasons. And then, the financial crisis has undermined Italian football and the Rossoneri have seen their two jewels, Thiago Silva and therefore Zlatan Ibrahimovic, respond to the sirens of a new rich man, Paris Saint-Germain.
Since ? The Swede stacked goals and trophies in Paris (2012-2016), Manchester United (2016-2018) and the Los Angeles Galaxy (2018-2019), while AC Milan sank into the doldrums. It's simple: since the departure of Ibrahimovic, the Italian giant has won nothing. Several times, he conducted recruitment operations and mini-revolutions to regain his former glory. All have failed so far.
Halfway through this 2019-2020 season, AC Milan is dragging into a poor 11th place in the league with only 16 goals scored in 17 games. As a symbol, the status of top scorer in the current financial year is shared between the Polish striker Krzysztof Piatek, however in poor shape with only 4 achievements, and the French Théo Hernandez, defender forced to fill the offensive gaps of a club formerly known for its armada. Zlatan Ibrahimovic, who also played at Juventus (2004-2006) and at the rival of Inter Milan (2006-2009), must give new life to all this.
“ I come back to a club that I respect a lot and to this city of Milan that I love. I'm going to fight with my teammates to change the course of this season. I'm going to do everything to make this happen, ”warned the attacker, who is due to undergo a medical examination on January 2.