Ibrahimovic not shy with opinion
Paris Saint-Germain's star striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic could be suspended after losing his temper following the champions' 3-2 loss at Bordeaux in the French league on Sunday.
Ibrahimovic vented his anger at decisions which went against his team in Sunday's game, saying in English: "In 15 years I've never seen a referee" like Lionel Jaffredo. He then used an expletive to describe France as he walked past reporters after the game.
Ibrahimovic equalized twice for Laurent Blanc's side, which remains in the hunt for four trophies, but Diego Rolan popped up in the 89th minute to steer the ball home when the central defence collapsed.
PSG forward Zlatan Ibrahimovic looks on during the French Lige 1 match at Bordeaux on Sunday. Nicolas Tucat / AFP |
Sweden's Ibrahimovic took exception to some of the decisions made by referee Jaffredo and cut a furious figure at the final whistle when he stormed down the tunnel.
"In 15 years, I have never seen such a referee. This (expletive) country does not deserve PSG. We are too good for this country," the striker blasted in English.
The Swedish forward later said he was sorry after the French sports minister asked him to apologize for the comments, which were caught on camera and then shown widely on social media.
"I want to clarify that my remarks were directed at neither France nor the French," Ibrahimovic said in a statement on PSG's website.
"I spoke about football and nothing else. I lost the match, and I accept it, but I don't accept that the referee does not follow the rules. I want to apologize if people have been offended."
Sports minister Patrick Kanner later used Twitter to describe Ibrahimovic's clarification as "a welcome apology from this great champion."
Ibrahimovic, who recently returned from a two-match ban following an altercation with a Saint-Etienne player and a third yellow card in 10 matches, has never been shy of controversy.
After he was sent off for a late challenge on Oscar in the first half of PSG's match at Stamford Bridge on Wednesday in the Champions League, Ibrahimovic described the Chelsea players as "a bunch of babies."
All red cards in UEFA matches are reviewed to possibly extend mandatory one-match bans. But Chelsea coach Jose Mourinho has defended Ibrahimovic, saying he had no ill intent and should be cleared to play in the quarterfinals next month.
PSG advanced on the away goals rule, 3-3 on aggregate.