Zlatan Ibrahimvoic finally made his return to the pitch after almost nine months on the sidelines and explained that he delayed his knee surgery by six months to help Milan in the title bid. The 41-year-old came off the bench to replace Olivier Giroud in the Rossoneri’s 2-0 win over Atalanta last night, and speaking with DAZN, he shared his excitement at being able to return to the pitch after so long away and why he wants to remain at Milan to make an impact:
“I’m going to blow up the stadium (laughs, ed.). I’m back thanks to the fan. “I say thanks to them that they give me strength, adrenaline and motivation to continue. Without their help it is difficult. I feel good, then if we look back, it’s been a year and two months since I felt the way I feel today. Today I feel free to do what I love: play football”.
“I suffered a lot, even in the last six months of last year I was suffering. I wanted to help and I couldn’t be on the pitch. When you’re not well it’s difficult to help the team, I could have done the surgery six months earlier, but I could see that it was our year to win the Scudetto.
“I made a promise to Pioli: I promised not to have the surgery, but I never suffered so much for a trophy. Then it was a difficult year, also because of losing Mino (Raiola, ed). A lot of people help me and give me strength, and when I’m well I’m stronger than everyone.”
“If I don’t set myself objectives, then I relax and start to feel like I belong in the past. I don’t, I belong in the present and want to challenge my teammates for playing time, otherwise I should not be here.
“I don’t want to be here for what I did one, five or ten years ago. It’s for what I do now. If I don’t bring results or think I only need to play the last 5-10 minutes, I will stay home. It’s already over if someone thinks that. I want to play the whole game.
“Leao’s renewal? I lowered my salary to allow the club to move forward. I’m already playing for free (laughs, ed.).”
