Zlatan Ibrahimovic is injured after return and misses clash against Liverpool

Tuesday, September 14, 2021 at 2:08 PM• Rian Rosendaal • Last update: 14:14

Zlatan Ibrahimovic will miss the away game against Liverpool on Wednesday evening, coach Stefano Pioli announced on Tuesday. The 39-year-old attacker is struggling with an Achilles tendon injury and is therefore missing from AC Milan in the opening game in the group stage of the Champions League at Anfield. Ibrahimovic returned to the Italians on Sunday evening after a four-month absence due to a knee injury. As a substitute, he signed for the second goal in the home game against Lazio (2-0).

It turned out to be a goal with a golden edge for Ibrahimovic. After a good play from Rebic on the left, the experienced Swede took advantage of Lazio’s passivity and worked the ball into the empty goal: 2-0. The attacker, who celebrates his fortieth birthday on October 3, has now found the net in no fewer than 24 competition seasons. That series started in 1999, when he broke through with the Swedish Malmö FF.

The news about the absence of Ibrahimovic against Liverpool has yet to be officially announced by AC Milan. Prior to Wednesday evening’s meeting, Jürgen Klopp is full of praise for the veteran, even if he does not play against the Reds. “Zlatan! What a player he is”, the Liverpool manager opens at the press meeting on Tuesday afternoon. “I saw images of him being injured and Zlatan immediately said that lions never rest for long, or anything like that. He is really someone for exceptional moments. But if Zlatan doesn’t play, Olivier Giroud starts. They are all good players.”

“Zlatan is one of the best players we have ever seen in football,” Klopp continued in his praise of the injured attacker. “He knows that and he clearly shows it to us. I like that. There is still fuel in Zlatan’s tank and he squeezes every drop out. He can play in every competition and that is really extraordinary.” said the German manager.


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