Ibra: “I’ll become an even better player”

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Marc Guillén

In his first interview with Barça TV as a Barça player, Ibrahimovic assures the fans that he will become an “even better player” in a club like Barça.
When Zlatan Ibrahimovic speaks, he means what he says. He avoids clichés as if they were defenders and addresses each subject with a confidence that makes his words convincing. Here is the interview he has given to Barça TV and which will be broadcast in full at 10 pm tonight (Tuesday) on the programme ‘Bevingut Ibrahimovic’ (Welcome Ibrahimovic).

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. You had to be there to understand what I felt.

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 move from Malmö to Ajax was good, I was happy. From Ajax to Juve was an important move but emotionally it was a normal event. I thought I would have to keep on playing. 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% of football is the fans.

What do you know about the history of Barça and its players?

Some great stars have played for Barça. Ronaldo, Romario, Stoichkov, Hagi, Maradona, Ronaldinho..., they’re great names. Everyone knows them and becoming a part of that history is one of my objectives. Everyone wants to come to Barça but not just anyone can do that.

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. This Club won three titles last season, everything that could be won. When you win you don’t sign, you continue. And then for the next season they come to you and tell you that they want to sign you. 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.

Will this be the contract of your life?

I want to enjoy the moment. I’m here to enjoy myself and learn. I want to play with the best, and the best team is Barcelona. I want to be an even better player, and I know I will become even better, but you have to work hard and have the best players around you. A better environment than this is impossible.

You’ve spoken to Guardiola. What did he say to you?

He was very happy about everything that’s been done and I’m also very happy that it’s all official now. Guardiola said he’s happy if I’m happy and that the rest will come by itself.

You are a very technical forward. Normally that kind of player is pretty individualistic but your profile is that of a team player.

It’s one of my qualities that I learned in Italy. It’s important to know how to play as part of a team. If you don’t play as part of the team it’s impossible to achieve the objectives that your club is looking for. You have to help your team-mates and your team-mates have to help you. It’s also true that there are players that have the quality of playing in a more individualistic way and that’s also good. Everyone has to use his talents.

Ibra pleased with first goal

Anna Segura

Zlatan Ibrahimovic was delighted to score his first official goal for FC Barcelona as he added the third in a convincing win against Sporting de Gijón on Monday evening in Camp Nou.

The Swedish striker made it 3-0 when he dived forward to head home from close range and he was pleased to have opened his account even though he admitted afterwards that he is still looking to find his rhythm after missing a lot of pre-season with a hand injury.
"The team helped me a lot," he said. "I still do not feel 100 per cent, but I am happy because I have played for 90 minutes and bit-by-bit I am finding my level again."

Xavi
"We came off the back of winning two Super Cups and it was not easy. It was a game that could have caused us problems, but we gave everything we had."
"It was a game that could have caught us out. Sporting play well, but the team has not complicated matters for ourselves."
"In general we played well and played with humility."
"Ibra is a goalscorer and he likes to score. It is his first goal for Barça and we are happy for him because he is doing well."

Dani Alves
"It was very important to win today because all our rivals in the league had already done so."
"Ibra has just arrived and it is important for him to be calm and to know that the goals will come."
"I am sure that if we do things well then we will only have ourselves to worry about."

Gerard Piqué
"We have maintained the same routine as last year. The only thing we thought about was winning."
"The set pieces we worked on on the day of the game and they worked. All the work that we did last year and this is building up. At times we need to use set pieces."
"It is normal that the team was a bit tired after the Super Cup, but I thought that we did well and we were quickly able to take control."
"The team played to a great level and I do not think tiredness was a factor."

Seydou Keita
"It was difficult playing after Monaco, which was a hard pitch and the game was 120 minutes long."
"We wanted Ibra to score because he needed to. If he can adapt quickly it will be better for the team."
"To play for Barça you need to adapt to the style, but I am delighted with things now."

Alberto Botia (Barça player on loan at Sporting)
"I was lucky to make my debut at Camp Nou even though it was not for Barça.
"We played against the best team in the world and it is very difficult to beat them."

Zlatan Ibrahimovic

‘Ibra’ joins Barça in the summer of 2009 from Inter Milan to replace the man who had worn the number 9 shirt for the previous five seasons, Samuel Eto’o, who moves in the other direction to Inter Milan.

Zlatan Ibrahimovic was born in Malmö (Sweden) of a Bosnian father and a Croatian mother on 3rd October 1981. He joins Barça at the height of his career and is recognized as one of the most lethal strikers in European football. He is one of that rare breed of total footballers: he’s deadly in the air, fast, effective in front of goal and mesmerizing with the ball at his feet. His style of football makes his team-mates play better.

Ibrahimovic started his career with Malmö before moving on to Ajax in 2001, where he joined up with Barça team-mate Maxwell. Here he started to get noticed on a bigger footballing stage and gave indications of becoming a world class star despite his youth. For part of his time at Ajax his manager was former Barça star Ronald Koeman.

After three seasons in Holland, where he won two league titles, the Cup and two Dutch Super Cups, Ibrahimovic signed to Italian giants Juventus, managed by Fabio Capello, staying there for two seasons from 2004 to 2006. Juve finished top of the league in both seasons but were stripped of the title and relegated to the second division as a result of the “Moggigate” scandal, leading to his transfer to Inter Milan.

Ibrahimovic won three league titles and two Italian Super Cups with Inter Milan and was an essential part of the starting line-up under both Mancini and Mourinho.

His presentation as a Barça player on 27th July 2009 attracted 60,000 fans, a record in the history of the Club.

Ibrahimovic is also a key member of the Sweden international team and has been voted his country’s best player on three occasions (2005, 2007and 2008).

PROFILE

Ibrahimovic has always stood out as a skilful player, scoring some amazing goals and displaying tremendous creativity. That’s why he’s known in Italy as ‘Ibracadabra’.

He stands 1.92 metres tall and combines great technique with a powerful physique, making him particularly feared by defenders in the air, as well as making it difficult to take the ball away from him.

In short, the Swedish international is the perfect modern centre forward and goal scorer. Last season he scored 25 goals in the Italian league with Inter Milan.

HONOURS

FC Barcelona
2009/10 European Super Cup
2009/10 Spanish Super Cup

Inter Milan
2008/09 Serie A
2007/08 Serie A
2007/08 Italian Super Cup
2006/07 Serie A
2005/06 Italian Super Cup

Ajax
2003/04 Eredivisie
2002/03 Dutch Super Cup
2001/02 Dutch Cup
2001/02 Eredivisie

Individual honours
2009 Top scorer Italian league
2008 Best player Italian league
2008 Best foreign player Italian league
2008 Best Swedish player
2007 Best Swedish sportsman
2007 Swedish athlete of the year
2006 Best foreign player Italian league
2005 Best Swedish player

Magic, goals and class for Barça

www.fcbarcelona.cat

A skilful and physically imposing footballer, an all-round goal scorer. That would be a quick and concise definition of Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Barça’s second signing of the season. Ibracadabra’ is coming to the Camp Nou to continue working his own bra

Zlatan Ibrahimovic was born in Malmö (Sweden) of a Bosnian father and a Croatian mother on 3rd October 1981. He joins Barça at the height of his career and is recognized as one of the most lethal strikers in European football. He is one of that rare breed of total footballers: he’s deadly in the air, fast, effective in front of goal and mesmerizing with the ball at his feet. His style of football makes his team-mates play better.

Technique and power

Ibrahimovic has always stood out as a skilful player, scoring some amazing goals and displaying tremendous creativity. That’s why he’s known in Italy as ‘Ibracadabra’. He stands 1.92 metres tall and combines great technique with a powerful physique, making him particularly feared by defenders in the air, as well as making it difficult to take the ball away from him.

In short, the Swedish international is the perfect modern centre forward and goal scorer. Last season he scored 25 goals in the Italian league with Inter Milan.

Ajax at the age of 19

zlatan-ajax.jpgIbrahimovic started his career with Malmö before moving on to Ajax in 2001, where he joined up with Barça team-mate Maxwell. Here he started to get noticed on a bigger footballing stage and gave indications of becoming a world class star despite his youth. For part of his time at Ajax his manager was former Barça star Ronald Koeman.

The Italian league

After three seasons in Holland, where he won two league titles, the Cup and two Dutch Super Cups, Ibrahimovic signed for Italian giants Juventus, staying there for two seasons from 2004 to 2006. When Juventus were relegated to the second division as a result of the “Moggigate” scandal, he signed for Inter Milan.

Three successful seasons with Inter Milan

Ibrahimovic won three league titles and two Italian Super Cups with Inter Milan and has been an essential part of the starting line-up under both Mancini and Mourinho.

Ibrahimovic is also a key member of the Sweden international team and has been voted his country’s best player on three occasions (2005, 2007and 2008).

Ibrahimovic signs five-year contract

www.fcbarcelona.cat

Zlatan Ibrahimovic put pen to paper earlier this evening and agreed a five-year contract with the club in a deal which also sees Samuel Eto’o sign for Inter and Alexander Hleb move on loan.

At about quarter past seven this evening Zlatan Ibrahimovic officially became a Barca player after signing the contract that brings him to the club for the next five years.

Zlatan Ibrahimovic, accompanied by his agent Mino Raiola, signed the contract in Joan Laporta’s office with the President, Txiki Begiristain and club Vice-President Rafael Yuste representing the club.

46 million plus Eto’o and Hleb

2009-07-27_FIRMA_IBRAHIMOVIC_04.jpgBarça will pay 46 million Euros to Inter, as well as Eto’o, valued at 20 million and the loan of Alexander Hleb for a season. If Inter wish to sign the Belarus midfielder after his loan period, they have a first option to buy at 10 million Euros, plus 2 million according to appearances and results.

Ibrahimovic’s buy-out clause has been set at 250 million Euros.