16:00
Reporter:
Editor
Barcelona player Zlatan Ibrahimovic gave an interview to Catalan sports paper Sport.
Does the comparison between you and Eto'o bother you? Samuel's shadow at the Camp Nou can grow big.
I know how he moves, and I understand that the first days or weeks everybody wants to compare us. That's what the media is like, but I don't care about it. We are different and play in two different clubs. I hope he is happy and that he can achieve success at Inter since it's such a big club, and I wish him well. It's not fair to say that one is better than the other since we're both different.
Another name, Leo Messi. Do you think about what you can create together?
Leo is fantastic, he's one of the 'big' players. Everyone who gets the chance to play next to him will be better. I'm pretty sure it will be easy for us to understand each other. And to those who dream about sweet things, I hope I won't let them down.
Allow me to be critical. They say that one of your weaknesses is that you don't like to put pressure on the defenders. This was fundamental for Barcelona last season.
(Silence followed by a cold laughter) Each team has their own style and I am here to obey. If we are going to put pressure on a team, then we will do it like our lives are on the line.
You're know for being a person with a strong character. One of those who hates to lose.
And that's bad?
I understand that as a virtue. But there are some stories.
There are always these stories. People talk without knowing the person. I'm actually a normal person. I grew up in a family without big possibilities and in a difficult place. But I had belief. What people say is nonsense which comes from different media that I don't have any connection with.
For example Sweden?
There is a very significant newspaper from my country that I don't have any connection with. Once they printed something false, that hurt me very much, because they didn't respect me as a person.
Let's talk about football again. Does it scares you that you have arrived to a team that have won almost everything?
It's quite opposite. I look at it like a challenge. I came to Barca to win titles, and grow as a player.
But people will expect the team at a brutal level this year?
That's why we will work hard. Nobody wants to present us with anything. To repeat the historic season we need hard work, talent and attitude.
What would you like to tell me about Real Madrid?
Nothing. I have nothing to say about teams other than Barca. Let them do like they want, and buy whatever that interest them. My thoughts are with Barcelona. They are the ones who have to think about why Barca are the champions. The pressure's on those who did not win anything.This was the second and final part of this interview.
translated by SandvikRead more:
Ibrahimovic: "It's like a movie with a happy ending"Ibrahimovic: "I want to be on the Bernabeu photo"Ibrahimovic: "I really like martial arts"
Read more...
00:01
Reporter:
Editor
Barcelona player Zlatan Ibrahimovic gave an interview to Catalan sports paper Sport.
The first question is necessary. How are you?
I'll tell you that it's going pretty well, if you are thinking about my hand. Everything is going just like the doctors told me. And I hope I can run together with my teammates in a couple of days.
You're telling me that you miss the physical efforts?
Nobody can imagine my will to start to play and run. It's not comfortable to be on the sideline and do nothing.
You say that because it hasn't been easy to come to Barcelona?
What happened to me is like a film with a happy ending. My hope was that Barca would buy me, and here I am. Like it or not, whenever you arrive to a new dressing room, you will question how will it be, how will they meet you, and all situations like that. Now I'm a Barca player. Even if people don't have any belief in it, and think that I'm saying it to act good, but the truth is that everything and everybody have treated me wonderfully.
Let's talk about your adjustment. The coach won't stop repeating that you must learn the style of play and the system as fast as possible. Are you concerned it's so urgent?
No, absolutely not. I understand him. These questions don't worry me so much. I've reached a certain age, and played football in many years. People, my teammates knows how I play and how I can move on the pitch. I have also had the possibility to watch them plenty of times, and I know a lot about the details. I'm pretty sure everything will be pretty easy.
Can you give a short brief to us on how the deal happened? Even if you don't like to talk about these subjects, do you acknowledge that it has been controversial to get you here?
What matters is that I'm here. People have been talking about a lot of things, some things are true, and some things are not. I really don't want to talk about any of this. It's a part of the past, and I'm one of those who likes to live in the present. I have left Inter. I would like to say that I am grateful over everything that the club has given me and what I have experienced. But it's time to think about Barcelona. When all of this started and the negotiations developed, I really did not believe it would be a possibility. It went well, and that's how it is.
Help me to solve a little mystery; did Guardiola convince you to come?
The contacts and negotiations started many months ago. I have trouble remembering it. But I did not talk to Guardiola. However it's true that I talked with Txiki and Raul Sanllehi, they told me their idea, and we agreed to take it calmly.
Let's talk about football. What feeling did you get when you watched Barca from Milan?
To watch Barca on TV last season was fantastic. Everyone saw a football that was magnificent and amazing. You knew the team was going to make history. I wanted to be a part of this, with my game, my experience and my effort.
And goals?
Yes, I hope I can score plenty of goals, even if that's not the most important thing. As long as it goes good for the team and we work as a group, then the goals will eventually come.
This was the first part of this interview. You'll be able to read the second part here tomorrow with Ibrahimovic among other things talking about the media and other Barca players.
translated by SandvikRead more:
Ibrahimovic: "I want to be on the Bernabeu photo"Ibrahimovic: "I really like martial arts"
Read more...
02:29
Reporter:
Editor
Barcelona player Zlatan Ibrahimovic gave an interview to Catalan sports paper El Mundo Deportivo.How are your first days as a Barcelona player going?
I want to get rid of this plaster. I want to go out there on the pitch and train with my team-mates, touch the ball, laugh with them. They are all acting great. You know the best thing? Everything is so simple here, people are very natural, nothing is artificial. From the moment I arrived, they've welcomed me with open arms and that makes everything easy. With Guardiola I'm speaking Italian, he speaks it perfectly. He already gave me the first instructions about where he wants me to play, they will have to tie me down if they don't want me to start training.
Did you know Guardiola?
I knew what he was doing with Barca, what he transmitted to the group to get the player to respect the ball like they are doing. Of course, I also knew Pep as a football player. If you don't know and admire Guardiola, then you don't know anything about football.
Pep always trains with the ball…
Yes, Ajax has a similar culture of loving the ball, but Mourinho also trained a lot with the ball, José also like the ball. Here I've seen the intensity of the training sessions, how good everyone is training from the first minute. I like hard work, they train like this and that's why they play that good. Besides the quality, you always need to work hard.
What's the difference between Barça and the others?
I've joined a winning team. Do you know what this means? You have to get better each day. When you play for a winning team like Barça, every game, every opponent will give 200 per cent just because they face Barça. They want to play the game of their lives against Barça, they are motivated as never before and this forces you to be especially concentrated and prepared. There is no room to relax, you are the winner and you have to show it in every game. That's exciting.
What do you think about Messi?
Incredible. Messi is from PlayStation really, he is PlayStation! I don't know how he is able to do what he does, but it's unique and fabulous. It's Leo Messi! But then you look at the left and you have Henry, you turn your head and there's Iniesta, then Xavi, and then you think: they are all great players here.
It will be difficult to repeat last season's treble...
Yeah, well, difficult, but the mentality is there, we have the will to repeat the treble.
Ibra receives a poster published by El Mundo Deportivo from the Champions League final celebrations in Rome. The poster is enormous and he is looking at all the faces. He recognizes everyone, and not only the players but also those who work around the team.
I saw the final that day, I was on vacations. While on vacations, I try not to think too much about football. But I would have given anything to be one of them! But never mind, I will be on next year's poster. I will be on the Bernabéu poster (laughs). You'll see.
You don't know what it would mean to win the Champions League at the Bernabéu...
Yes, yes I know... I know the rivalry between the big teams from the same country. That's why I'm saying that I will be on the champion's picture! This is our mentality, it's our strength. It would be really beautiful to win at the Bernabeu...
And with Inter as the opponent...
That would be very special but... Barça is the strongest! So that wouldn't change the picture: Barça, this time with me on the picture, celebrating the Champions League title.
How will Eto'o do at Inter?
Very well, I'm sure he'll do very well. He is a great player, everyone knows that.
One last question: Ibrahimovic is with Barça because he believed in it more than anyone?
Without any doubt. We - my agent and I - believed more in a transfer than Barça did. Barça thought it was close to impossible, we knew it could happen, we just needed to help a little and keep on believing. The first time my agent told me about the interest of Barça, he said that they wanted me but that it would be very complicated. I told him that wasn't the case, it wouldn't be difficult, we would make sure it wouldn't be complicated. And here I am, happy, very happy, with the deisre to get rid of this plaster, motivated to start playing, to enjoy myself with this team, to be on the picture, on that picture of the Champions League, to win it... At the Bernabéu. Read more:
Ten Things You Should Know About ZlatanIbrahimovic: "I really like martial arts"
Read more...
14:16
Reporter:
Editor
Barcelona player Zlatan Ibrahimovic gave an interview to the club's official media.How did it feel being presented in the Camp Nou?
Monday was a really busy day. First the medical, then after lunch I signed a very important contract that has made a lot of people happy, then came the presentation. It's difficult to put into words what I felt. These are emotions that can't be described.
Are you nervous about everything that has happened?
I was a bit nervous because everyone said there were a lot of people there. Normally I'm quite relaxed but for me it’s a dream to come here. This is where I wanted to play. I made an agreement with the president of Inter that the only club they could sell me to was Barcelona. The others could ask but they wouldn't get a reply. The only one I answered was Barça. That gives me a special feeling. The transfer from Juve to Inter seemed like an important fact but it didn't change my mood... In contrast, this transfer has made me feel nervous.
Nervous... Why?
Barça has a historic tradition. Everyone wants to be part of this great club, they've made history and I want to be part of that history. For me Barça plays football the way other teams will play in ten years time. The way they play is the way I want to play and I believe the people that go to the stadium really enjoy this football and 50 per cent of football is the fans.
Will you fit into the Barça style?
I think I'll fit in really well because it's the way I want to play, the way I want to train, the way I want to learn, because this style of football is what I tasted at Ajax. It really suited me and I learned a lot.
Have you had good references from people that know Barça?
Everyone I’ve spoken to has spoken positively. I spoke to Larsson, Figo, Koeman... everyone I spoke to spoke really well of Barça. Nobody said anything negative, everyone agreed that if you get the chance to come here then take it. Mentally, I was already with Barça when I received news of the club's interest. Normally a club that wins everything doesn't buy. When they come to you it's something special. It means a lot and I'm here to continue winning titles.
You are Swedish but your parents are from the Balkans. Is your character marked by that?
Maybe. My father is Bosnian and my mother is Croatian and I was born in Sweden. I grew up as a Swedish child but my mentality is different, more similar to my father who has a strong personality.
What are your hobbies?
I really like martial arts, taekwondo in particular. I enjoy watching films. I'm very much a family person and I like travelling with them to explore the world.
Have you got any idols? You’ve been compared to Van Basten.
Capello compared me to Van Basten and that's real praise for me, but I think players can't be compared. Everyone has his talents. Van Basten is a legend. I like complete players that make the difference. Van Basten made the difference as did Ronaldo. As a historic sportsman my favourite is Mohamed Ali.read the full and original interview and see a video of the interview hereRead more:
Ibrahimovic meets new team-matesOFFICIAL: IbrahimovicThe four cardinal directions of Ibrahimovic
Read more...
