AC Milan's veteran striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic granted an interview to La Gazzetta dello Sport. He talked about the Rossoneri's season among other topics. Here are his words:
About his affair with a betting company:
"I'm not worried because things are working out. I did nothing against the system. On the contrary, as soon as I returned to Europe, I immediately tried to fix things."
On the super League:
"I'm not very knowledgeable, but I can imagine the reasons that prompted those clubs to act. They suffer economically and have looked for a way to recover. Rather, it is strange that in certain countries like England it has become an affair between fans and clubs and no one has asked for anything from the players who stage the show. We have to play more or less. Anyway, I don't think you play too much. When a footballer doesn't play, he gets angry. If you play too much, you say it's a lot. When it's sunny, it's hot. When there is no sun, there is no sun. A balance must be found. I would like to play a lot, but maybe now I should learn to be more realistic and follow the messages of the body."
About saying that players earn too much:
"What does it mean to earn too much? Each has a value, it depends on how much you need that player. The value depends on the market. It's like on the stock market."
On the thing that made him suffer the most in the season that just ended:
"The injuries, but since I returned to the Rossoneri I still lived eighteen fantastic months. Milan are in the Champions League, the fans deserved it. I wanted to win the Scudetto and we were there, in the lead. In recent months, the mentality of the team has grown, the collective has grown and thus the individuals have improved."
About being called selfish:
"I like this definition, many are kings, but there is only one god and it is me. In any case, without my mates, I am not going anywhere. How many times have I been angry this season? Everyday. I feel alive like this, in my opinion it is not bad to get angry. It is also a way to show how much you care about what you are doing and the people around you. If you always say that everything is fine, what kind of life is it?"
On the quarrels with Maignan at the time of PSG:
"Sometimes I charge people like that. Sometimes you have to be tough, sometimes you have to be light. Sometimes I joke and sometimes I send a message."
"This time we made it to the Champions League, that was the goal, but I want to win. It's an ongoing challenge and I'm enjoying it. Now I have more responsibility, I feel more of a leader. The relationship with the club is clear, the players have to work harder every day to bring Milan back to where it used to be."
About Donnarumma's situation:
"I am very sorry for the situation that has arisen. You asked me before if the players earn too much, now I ask you what value Donnarumma has. He grew up in Milan, he could have been the goalkeeper of the team for almost twenty years. He is the strongest in the world. He could have become Mister Milan, like Paolo Maldini. What value could be given to Maldini? There is no measure. I don't know if Gigio will go away. I would tell him to stay at Milan until the end."
On the rumours about Giroud joining AC Milan:
"The more high-level players we can get, the better. Giroud has great experience and we don't have many players who have won trophies. If he comes, he is welcome, also because this is a very helpful group that wants to learn and improve."
On Mourinho's return to Italy:
"It's a great challenge. As happened to me, he arrives at a club that is not favored and he was not used to it. But for this very reason it will be beautiful. Mourinho is a character, everything he says goes around the world. For Serie A, it is a good purchase from all points of view. If I'll be Deputy of Pioli? I've already done this for a year and a half (laughs, ed). Now I have to look for other things to do."
On Allegri's return to Juventus:
"I'm happy, when I had him, he was at the beginning, then he became a winner. Perhaps it would have been better to have an experience abroad to complete oneself, but not everyone is like Zlatan, who takes his suitcase and goes to other places. Everyone is made in their own way", concluded Ibrahimovic.
