According to La Gazzetta dello Sport, Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s injury is worse than expected and the Sweden international will likely miss the next two games against Lazio and Sampdoria.
The 40-year-old was forced off the pitch in Milan‘s Serie A clash against Juventus on January 23 and has yet to return to group training since.
Ibrahimovic missed Milan’s 2-1 win over Inter in the derby della Madonnina on Saturday and according to La Gazzetta dello Sport he will also sit out of the next two matches.
The pink paper reports that ‘every day that passes by is not a day closer to the return for Ibra’. The Rossoneri medical staff is assessing his condition, but the striker’s injury history is now causing concern as Ibrahimovic has played 11 Serie A games so far this season, missing eight.
Milan host Lazio at San Siro in a Coppa Italia quarter-final clash on Wednesday and will meet Sampdoria on Sunday in the next Serie A match.
Olivier Giroud replaced Ibrahimovic in the derby scoring two decisive goals for the Rossoneri who are now one point behind table leaders Inter although Simone Inzaghi’s men have a game in hand.
Ibrahimovic’s Milan contract expires in June and Rossoneri director Paolo Maldini revealed on Saturday that the striker wants to continue with the club for at least one more season.
#Milan, più grave del previsto l'infortunio di #Ibrahimovic: e il rientro si allontana https://t.co/rgzSSJyRv2 pic.twitter.com/YHgPKSgVke
— calciomercato.com (@cmdotcom) February 7, 2022
Milan would be utterly mad to keep him, unless it’s a pay-as-you-play deal.
And make sure they only pay him for the minutes he completes on the field.
Sorry Ibra. Your career was amazing and thanks for the memories, but it’s time to retire with some dignity.
@Vogel I wouldn’t say it has to be a per game bonus, but if he is gonna play half the games, cut his salary by two thirds and give him a solid goal bonus.
We wouldn’t be towards the top of the table had he not arrived, I’m happy to keep him as a playing coach omln a solid salary for at least a year – The question is who plays when he doesn’t. Pellegri didn’t pan out, so will Lazetic be given those minutes?
I’d like to see Bellotti come in this summer and make the spot his over the next couple of years with Lazetic his understudy. No ot sure what we are thinking with Giroud but he is also getting well into his thirties…
Keep him. But as a super sub on 3m per year