Ibrahimovic relishes reunion
Thursday, June 24, 2004
Article summary
Zlatan Ibrahimovic is looking forward to facing his AFC Ajax team-mates when Sweden take on the Netherlands in Saturday's quarter-final.
Article body
Friendship put aside
Sweden take on the Netherlands in the third UEFA EURO 2004™ quarter-final on Saturday and Ibrahimovic said that he had spoken to some of his Ajax team-mates after the Netherlands' 3-0 victory over Latvia on Tuesday night. "We've spoken a bit and we have joked about the game," the 22-year-old said. "But on Saturday we will put aside our friendship for a couple of hours.
Underdogs
"It is obviously special for me to play the Netherlands as I live and play there and I am really looking forward to it. The Netherlands have got to be the favourites with the players they have got and we are the underdogs. But everything can happen in football and you can be sure that we are going to be 100 per cent focused and we know that we can beat them if we play at our best level."
Larsson link
Erik Edman, who is suspended for the game, and Petter Hansson also play their club football in the Netherlands with SC Heerenveen while Henrik Larsson and Marcus Allbäck have had spells there as well. Larsson has a good friend in the rival camp in Giovanni van Bronckhorst. "I got to know [him] at Feyenoord in 1993 and our families are still good friends. But that won't matter on Saturday of course."
'Not satisfied'
Larsson added that the Swedes were happy to be in the final eight – but far from satisfied. "We have set new targets now and we believe in ourselves and in our team spirit," he said. Their main problem ahead of the game on Saturday is in defence where Edman is out and right-back Teddy Lucic is only 50-50 because of a rib injury. Reserve goalkeeper Magnus Khilstedt, meanwhile, has a groin strain.
Scouting report
Sweden scout Benny Lennartsson has been following the Netherlands during the tournament so far and he said on Tuesday: "[Phillip] Cocu is very influential in their build-up and then the real danger is out on the flanks. If you look at a player like Arjen Robben you can't help but admire him. The pace and the precision in his crosses means that whoever plays at right-back will have to do very well."
