Ibrahimovic doubtful for Sweden qualifier
Reuters - Tuesday 31 May 2011, 15:55
STOCKOHLM - An ankle injury sustained when
AC Milan secured the Serie A title against Roma may keep striker
Zlatan Ibrahimovic out of Sweden's Euro 2012 qualifier against
Moldova on Friday.
"As it is today, I can't play," Ibrahimovic told a news
conference on Tuesday after training separately from his team
mates with his left ankle heavily strapped.
"If I could, I would have trained with the rest of the team
and gone flat out. But as it is today I wouldn't have risked
it", said Ibrahimovic, adding that he would rather not take
pain-killing injections or tablets to play.
National team coach Erik Hamren said that the injury had had
a major effect on his team's preparations.
"It affects us in a pretty big way, whether he's playing or
not. He has a special manner, which the other players have to
accept and adapt to," Hamren told reporters.
Sweden are currently second in Group E behind the
Netherlands with nine points from four games.