Zlatan tackles (again) the French referees
In a long interview for the newspaper L’Equipe, former PSG striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic once again revised the level of French refereeing.
No one has forgotten Zlatan’s “shitty country”. In an interview for the newspaper L’Equipe, the Swede, current AC Milan striker, again tackled French arbitration. He who arrived at the start of the QSI era in Paris, remembers an arbitration not up to the task of managing such stars: “It was difficult for them, and for us to work with them. It was new for them too, they weren’t yet full-time professionals, and when you have so many great champions coming to PSG… It’s because they weren’t used to it.” Then he adds in a piquant tone: “But I couldn’t wait for them to progress either.”
“At PSG, you don’t need everyone to be at the top”
In March 2013, Zlatan Ibrahimovic completely freaked out against arbitration against Bordeaux: “I’ve been playing football for 15 years and I’ve never seen such a referee. In this shitty country. This country doesn’t deserve Not PSG.” In English and in a few seconds, Zlatan had paid the head of Lionel Jaffredo, the referee of Bordeaux-PSG (3-2). The reason for such anger? Perhaps a free kick not granted for PSG on a voluntary back pass from Lamine Sané to Cédric Carrasso. A few minutes later, PSG conceded the third but synonymous with defeat.
With a little more hindsight, Zlatan talks about the current great PSG, which he had not known when he was playing there: “To win the big matches, the titles, we tell you all the time: “Everyone has to of you are at the top”. But at PSG, no. You have so many great champions in the squad that you are calm, comfortable. Neymar is not well? It is enough that Messi is well. Messi is not going not well? It is enough that Mbappé is well. Each player can make the difference on his own…”
“I told him: ‘In your place, I would go to Real'”
The Swede also admits to having given advice to Kylian Mbappé regarding his future. “I would have gone there (to Real)” he comments. “But if I’m PSG, I’ll try to keep him. It’s up to him to decide. PSG wants to keep him, of course, but does he want to stay?” Zlatan Ibrahimovic believes ‘other clubs’ are needed by the young striker. “If you are a leader, you have the means and you don’t want to take Mbappé, you are in the wrong job.” He also confirms that he advised Mbappé to go to Real: “He asked me, yes, and I told him: “In your place, I would go to Real”.