Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Jose Mourinho will reunite at the Olimpico when Roma host Milan on Sunday, this time as enemies.
From the common triumphs and the ‘rupture’ of Pasadena, the relationship between Zlatan and the Portuguese tactician goes way back.
This Sunday, the two meet at the Olimpico, prompting to recall the many experiences they have lived together.
Roma and Milan is one of the top four clashes of the weekend and the two big personalities are again writing the headlines ahead of the tie.
Ibrahimovic has played for Mourinho at Inter and Manchester United in the past, where the two succeeded together, but also went through some complicated moments.
When Mourinho arrived at Inter in 2008-09, the two won the Scudetto together and the Swede was crowned the Capocannoniere in Serie A.
But the following summer the 40-year-old striker went to Barcelona and during the pre-season retreat, he told Mourinho he had ‘decided’ to join the La Liga giants.
“I’m going to win the Champions League,” Ibrahimovic famously told Mourinho, but the Portuguese tactician replied: “You can leave, but maybe we’ll win it.”
Samuel Eto’o swapped places with Zlatan, moving from Barcelona to Inter, and turned out to be a great signing for the Nerazzurri, who picked up the Treble in 2009-10.
But the two reunited again at Manchester United and strengthened their relationship before the Swede picked up a knee injury.
Upon his arrival at United, Ibrahimovic revealed he went to Old Trafford to follow the former Inter tactician.
“He is the mastermind, the masterbrain,” he told Daily Star in 2016. “He knows what he needs to do to win. I learned a lot from him at Inter. Who wouldn’t want to have Mourinho as coach?”
Tuttosport has claimed Mourinho previously tried to sign Zlatan at Real Madrid too – when he was leaving Milan – but the player decided to join Paris Saint-Germain in Ligue 1.
The mutual respect and the great memories of success and glory, however, will most likely be placed in the shadow during the 90 minutes at the Olimpico on Sunday, as the two winners and the two great personalities clash in the Italian capital.
Zlatan: “Who wouldn’t want to have Mourinho as coach?”
Half of Roma squad: Hold my beer 🙂
As enemies?! Umm, maybe rivals or opponents is a better word.