Left field
The Reuters global sports blog
Sweden hope Ibrahimovic can sparkle now Milan are out
Phil O’Connor
There was one soccer coach just as happy as Barcelona boss Pep Guardiola on Tuesday when his side knocked AC Milan out of the Champions League at the quarter-final stage.
That man is Sweden coach Erik Hamren.
With Euro 2012 approaching fast, Hamren will be quietly pleased that top striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic won’t be involved in the final in Munich on May 19 and can instead avoid injury and stay fresh.
Zlatan may not be as pleased. Having won a slew of titles with Juventus, Inter, Barcelona and Milan, “that damn Champions League” (as he once referred to it) remains beyond his grasp.
In a recent interview with a UEFA magazine he changed his tune somewhat, saying he is happy with his career regardless of whether or not he wins Europe’s premier club competition.
This sent me flicking through my notebooks and I came across an entry from a Sweden press conference in 2009, just after he had secured yet another Serie A title with Inter. Ibra finished the season as Italy’s capocannoniere (top scorer) on 25 goals – typically, the goal that put him on top was an outrageous backheel on the last day of the season against Atalanta.
Ibrahimovic answers critics but questions remain about Milan
It’s taken a long time, but Zlatan Ibrahimovic has finally delivered a performance worthy of his talent against an English team in the Champions League.
Long scoffed at by British fans and journalists for his pale imitation of a top-class striker in Europe’s top competition, Zlatan delivered something of a virtuoso performance as Milan thrashed Arsenal 4-0 at the San Siro, rendering the last 16 return leg in London next month all but meaningless.
His passing – particularly in the first half when his pinpoint cross picked out Robinho for the Rossoneri‘s second goal – was sublime and in the second half he got the goal he richly deserved, firing home Milan’s fourth from the penalty spot after he was dragged down by Johan Djourou.
But questions still remain about the Swede and his team mates. As excellent as he was on it, Ibra’s movement off the ball was sometimes slow and laboured, while every time a pass went astray he gestured his discontent to his colleagues.
Indeed, his whole team seemed affected by selfishness; Robinho never bothered to thank Zlatan for the great assist and several Milan players took wild shots when Ibra was better-placed to finish.
Once ranked as Europe’s best for their clinical, technical displays in Europe, Italian sides have stood in the shadow of Spanish “tiki-taka” for the past few years.
Sweden boosted by Guidetti and Ibra displays
Under normal circumstances Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s dipping first-half free kick in AC Milan’s 3-0 win over Cagliari on Sunday would have been enough to give Sweden coach Erik Hamren a pleasant end to the weekend.
But if Hamren had been watching Feyenoord beat Ajax in in Holland’s Eredivisie on Saturday he would have seen another Swede, John Guidetti, net a hat-trick as Feyenoord won 4-2, giving him a mouthwatering selection problem ahead of Euro 2012.
On loan from Manchester City, Guidetti is widely considered to be one of Sweden’s most promising talents in the post-Zlatan generation, but until his move to Rotterdam he hadn’t done much at the top level of the game.
Starved of opportunities at mega-rich Manchester City, he had a successful spell on loan back in Sweden with Brommapojkarna and a short stay at Burnley. These two stints have given a glimpse of his precocious talent, but it is in Holland that he is finally starting to deliver.
Fourteen goals so far this term for Feyenoord have made him a fan favourite, with his hat-tricks against Twente and Ajax going a long way to establishing his reputation. He broke into the Swedish Under-21 side in May 2010, and with Alexander Gerndt – recently convicted on a domestic violence charge – unlikely to be picked for the foreseeable future, Guidetti may be fast-tracked into Hamren’s senior setup in time for Euro 2012.
If Hamren is considering bringing him to face France, England and Ukraine at the finals it is likely that he wil be in the next squad to face Croatia in a February friendly.
from Reuters Soccer Blog:
The strange story of Ibra and Pep
As Barcelona close in on the signing of Javier Mascherano from Liverpool, Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s future at the club seems to becoming ever more complicated.
Coach Pep Guardiola’s decision to move for the combative Mascherano is understandable after Yaya Toure’s departure to Manchester City.
Added to the signings of David Villa, a proven goalscorer already familiar with half the squad from Spanish international duty, and the versatile Adriano Correia, who can cover Dani Alves at right back or play in midfield, they look like sensible choices.
But can Guardiola’s judgement be questioned is in his handling of the Ibrahimovic conundrum?
The hefty Swede was Guardiola’s choice to replace the prolific but problematic Samuel Eto’o a year ago and set Barca back serious cash in an eye-watering swap deal with Inter Milan.
Ibra responded by scoring 21 goals in all competitions, a tally not to be sniffed at, yet he clearly slipped to second choice at number nine during the title run in last May behind teenager Bojan Krkic.
Barca tried and failed to sign David Villa last year when they plumped for Ibra insetad, but and got him this time round. Villa has taken to the team, full of his Spanish international team mates, like the proverbial duck to water.
Ibra it seems was not able to break into this Barca youth team/Spain clique and clearly did not connect with his boss.
It’s a huge ‘error’ by Barca in financial terms but the addition of Villa looks a much better bet, as perhaps Guardiola had correctly guessed a year ago!
from Reuters Soccer Blog:
Why Henry’s move might not kickstart transfer window
Barcelona's Thierry Henry is heading to New York Red Bulls in a widely expected move but don't think the first big post-World Cup transfer means the window will suddenly be awash with deals.
An event before the World Cup is a major reason why Henry has decided to follow David Beckham's lead and try out MLS. David Villa's early move to Barca from Valencia meant there was no room for Henry at the Nou Camp and after France's flop in South Africa there were few other interested parties.
Barcelona were seen as the major drivers for this transfer window given they are also keen on Arsenal's Cesc Fabregas. However, noises coming out of North London suggest the midfielder is set to stay in the Premier League for now.
The fact Fabregas could not get a start in Spain's victorious World Cup team might make him realise that he would not be an automatic first choice at boyhood club Barca either given international team mates Xavi, Andres Iniesta and Sergio Busquets all play there.
Coach Pep Guardiola is staying at least another season but Barca's money problems mean any really big buys might be out of the question and Arsenal clearly want a lot for Fabregas.
Another bit of transfer gossip affecting Barca is constant rumours linking Zlatan Ibrahimovic with a move back to Milan after one season. The only difference is that AC Milan want him rather than former club Inter.
English Premier League starts this weekend.All the Games will be streamed live at http://www.WorldCupTV.org 08:15
from Reuters Soccer Blog:
Who will win the battle between Ibra and Eto’o?
Boy, the Champions League is back with a bang. How much juicier can you get than holders Barcelona at Inter Milan in their first game?
If the Spanish champions against their Italian counterparts wasn't enough, we've got the added spice of Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Samuel Eto'o playing against their former clubs at the first possible opportunity following their extraordinary close-season swap deal.
Barca midfielder Xavi has told Reuters it will still be strange to line up against Eto'o on Wednesday while Inter's Jose Mourinho, who has had an up and down relationship with the Catalans, has been stealing the headlines as usual.
"Eto'o is the best attacker in the world. My players are always better. Last year Ibrahimovic was the best forward in the world, now I say Eto'o," he told reporters.
So will Ibra come back to haunt the San Siro or will Eto'o prove that Inter are not missing him?
No one is really sure what reception the Swede will get on Wednesday.
