Zlatan Ibrahimović is set for a reunion with old club Manchester United after both sides were seeded to play in the Europa League round of 16.
The Swede suffered an adductor muscle injury in the 2-1 win over Roma at the weekend, keeping him on the sideline for some weeks.
The 39-year-old striker will undoubtedly miss the Europa League round of 16 first leg tie against former club United at Old Trafford on Thursday, March 11. He is also a doubt for the second leg, held at San Siro a week later.
Since he returned to the club in December 2019, the striker has been arguably the most important player for Milan’s red half.
This season’s fantastic tally of 16 goals in 21 games further tells the story as he approaches his 40th birthday.
His goals have had Milan fighting for the title.
The Rossoneri is currently sitting second in Serie A, four points behind the leader and rival, Inter Milan.
Zlatan left Manchester United in 2018 as he joined the MLS, only to head back to Europe in 2019. Since returning to Europe, he has scored 27 goals in 40 appearances for Milan. He has also recorded over 500 club career goals.
Ibrahimović was at United for 18 months, where he impressed under Jose Mourinho, scoring 29 goals in 53 appearances as he helped the Red Devils to EFL Cup and Europa League triumphs.
He has said he feels sorry for United fans in his usual self-aggrandise manner as they didn’t get to see him play for the club earlier.
“I feel sorry for the fans – if they’d seen me younger, they’d have seen a different lion,” he told the Man United website.
“For the Premier League, it would have been dangerous, as I would have eaten them for breakfast; instead, I took them for lunch. But I came: they wanted me, I gave them to me, and I took over. Been there and done that.
I gave as much as I could for as long as possible; when I got injured, I got support differently; they always stood behind me and my team-mates.
“They are special: everywhere I see red, I think about United. It will remain in history and my career; when I look back at my time with United, I will do it with a smile. I wish them all the best in the future.”
