Ibrahimović opts to miss qualifiers
Friday, September 15, 2006
Article summary
Zlatan Ibrahimović has told Sweden coach Lars Lagerbäck he will not be available for two UEFA EURO 2008™ qualifiers in a dispute over disciplinary matters.
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Sent home
Ibrahimović was sent home from the Sweden squad to face Liechtenstein on 6 September, along with Olof Mellberg and Christian Wilhelmsson, after breaking a team curfew prior to the match. Ibrahimović’s agent Mino Raiola said: "Zlatan does not believe that the punishment was in proportion to his wrongdoing. The Swedish FA and Lars Lagerbäck seem to believe that they did the right thing. He's unhappy with that and won't play against Spain or Iceland."
’Sad thing’
Lagerbäck will now have to do without one of Sweden's top players and he said: "Of course it's a sad thing but I still respect him as a player and a person. I hope he'll be able to accept the rules we have in the future." Mellberg and Wilhelmsson have decided to make themselves available to Lagerbäck.
