Zlatan Ibrahimovic, senior advisor for RedBird at AC Milan, spoke to Sky Sport ahead of the team’s UEFA Champions League match against Red Star Belgrade, addressing recent controversies and the team’s current state.
Regarding Paulo Fonseca’s outburst following the defeat against Atalanta, Ibrahimovic stated, “He vented, but we respect the referees.” He elaborated, “If we talk about referees, they have a great influence on matches. We want to help them and we respect them. Fonseca was emotional and unhappy after the match, he vented, but in the end, we respect the referees. Not just those who were on the field in Bergamo, all of them.”
On the team’s current form, Ibrahimovic commented, “After the last match, the boys were disappointed, then during the week they worked and there was a good spirit that grew throughout the week. They worked well, they’re doing well.”
When asked about the possibility of finishing in the top eight, Ibrahimovic emphasized the importance of winning all remaining matches: “The ideal is to win all three so we immediately enter the top eight and go to the round of 16, skipping the playoffs. We also have a match to play in February against Bologna, it’s better to have fewer matches so the players get less tired, so the ideal is to win all the matches. On paper it seems easy, but it’s not. Every match is difficult and they must face each match as a final.”
Ibrahimovic also shared his thoughts on the team’s strengths and areas for improvement: “I like that the team, in my opinion, is stronger than last year, there are more quality players who can play and we’re not defensive. What’s not 100% is the balance, the stability in matches, the consistency in winning matches and gaining confidence.”
When asked if he feels the urge to get on the field and help, Ibrahimovic candidly replied, “I have to be honest: I feel powerless to help the team on the field because with me on the field it was a different story. Then off the field, everyone has their own character. We try to push and give our best, the important thing is that they don’t leave their comfort zone. The attitude they must have is important, we are confident and believe in what we do.”
Reflecting on the team’s needs, Ibrahimovic acknowledged the value a player like Thiago Silva would bring to Milan: “We would need him a lot. The other day I was writing that I wasn’t worried because he was there. When I played with him, it seemed like he was an Ibrahimovic in defense. He’s a great player, he’s had a great career, he’s still playing and I advised him to continue as long as he’s doing well. I’m happy to have played with him not only at Milan but also at PSG, even if he took me away from Milan the first time (laughs).”
