Tomorrow evening against Salernitana, Olivier Giroud will play his last official match in a Milan jersey before transferring to Los Angeles FC.
Speaking to L'Equipe, the French striker commented on his decision to move to MLS:
"It's been a few months, knowing I was at the end of my contract. I made this decision several months ago and it materialized in recent weeks. The decision to go to MLS had to be made, then after seeing the club. The weight of the years is starting to be felt and I thought it through carefully. Playing every three days is becoming more complicated, especially at this level. I'm not going there to be a tourist, but I think it's the right time for me."
Giroud then mentioned he had spoken with Zlatan Ibrahimovic about the American league (the Swede played for Los Angeles Galaxy):
"Did I talk to Ibra about MLS? Yes, he explained to me what to expect. He told me I could have fun because strikers have many scoring opportunities. He also warned me to be careful about heat strokes when playing in Houston or Dallas during the summer."
On a scoring level, this has been his best season with Milan, but Olivier Giroud is still not satisfied:
"It's true that statistically I've done well, but it's not the best way to say goodbye to Milan. Speaking personally, I scored 14 goals and provided 8 assists in the league. Considering my age, not many thought I could still contribute like this. It means I was often involved in the game and that I made my contribution."
The French striker also spoke about his relationship with Zlatan Ibrahimovic, who appears in his documentary:
"The production told me it would be fantastic to have him in the documentary. We met in a small restaurant in Milan and started talking. I reminded him that when I joined Milan, he welcomed me with a shocking phrase: 'Remember, there is only one king in Milan and it's me.' We had a great relationship. There was mutual respect, and competing with him was stimulating because I'm competitive. We shared extraordinary moments at Milan, like winning the championship two years ago. Like him, I was a leader in my own way. I'm not used to barking orders. I try to speak thoughtfully and pertinently. And as Zlatan says: 'It's often the guy who says nothing who is the most dangerous.'"
