| |
 |  |
|
| Ibra on Champions League angst |
Wednesday 1 April, 2009 |
|
Inter striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic has explained his agony at Champions League failure and praised Mario Balotelli.
Rumours spread that the Swede wanted to quit the Nerazzurri after they lost in the last 16 of the Champions League to Manchester United.
Agent Mino Raiola has since refuted those suggestions and Ibra is ready to explain his emotions.
“I want to win the Champions League,” he said in GQ magazine.
“Every year I hate waiting for that chance. My mentality is to play to win.
“Don't talk to me about luck of the draw, I wanted to play Manchester United because you have to beat them sooner or later if you want to win the competition.
“It was the hardest defeat of my career. I really believed we could win and I hated to lose.
“It will be a great honour if I win a fifth Scudetto, but I am lacking a European triumph.”
Ibra then heaped praise upon young gun Balotelli, who is making a name for himself at Inter.
“At the age of 18 I was playing in Sweden while he is at Inter,” he stressed.
“He has top-class teammates and the atmosphere is different - here you grow up faster.
“A player only has eight or nine years at the top level - no more than that. I can't imagine myself being at one of the giants at the age of 34.
“The 20-year-old lads these days are fresher, better and more ready to command a first-team place - the future is theirs.”
|
|
|
| |
| |
