In the 74th minute of Milan-Atalanta, Zlatan Ibrahimovic returned to the field 280 days after the last time: “I missed the fans so much, they give me strength and motivation to continuewithout their support it’s difficult, I feel good, if I look back in time it’s been over a year since I don’t feel as good as I do today – he says – I felt free to do what I lovei.e. playing football. I suffered a lot, even the last six months of last year, I wanted to help at all costs, I have to feel good to stay on the pitch because otherwise I can’t help the team, I could have had the surgery six months earlier but I knew that last year was our year and I had made Pioli a promise because I wanted to stay close to the team. I won with a pain never felt before. Even with Mino’s death it was also difficult mentally, many gave me strength, When I’m fine, I’m the strongest of all.”
“I want to be present and compete with my teammates”
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Milan-Atalanta 2-0, gol e highlights
What will be Ibrahimovic’s role between now and the end of the championship in this Milan? “I feel like I can help more than I did today, the more I train, the more I improve, this is what I was missing – he explains – I touched the ball for three training sessions and it didn’t seem like a year and two months had passed. If I don’t set myself goals, I relax, I don’t want to be the past, but the present and I want to compete with my colleaguesotherwise I wouldn’t be here. I’m here because I want to bring results and if I think I have to play only the last 5′ it’s better that I stay at home. Anyone who thinks this is already finished. I wanted to do my recovery and I was away from the team to have more time to work well and not be impatient. What have I done? I looked at my colleagues and they understood.”