Zlatan Ibrahimovic may be the player Irish fans fear most on Monday night but he's not a universally-loved figure in his native Sweden. Former Arsenal star Freddie Ljundberg, has hit out his former international colleague, telling Swedish newspaper The Local that the other Swedish players:
Do not always get all the headlines, but are just as important for the team. We have a lot of other players who do not get as much attention, but does the job in defence and cover up so he can get the freedom to play his game. It is very important to us so that we will not be slaughtered in defence.
Ibrahimovic and Ljundberg have previous. Ibrahimovic refused to name Ljundberg in his book I am Zlatan, instead referring to him throughout as "the prima donna". He went on to criticise Ljundberg's attitude.
This, you see, is how we do it at Arsenal and that is actually the way to do it because we know at Arsenal. Oh and I can't go on that bus because my back hurts.
Obviously, Zlatan's comment hit a nerve with Ljundberg, the current Arsenal under-15 coach, who struck back saying:
You want the truth? I feel most sorry for him, that one should have to sink so low that the comments about me and other people used to sell a book.
