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Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is relishing the return of Zlatan Ibrahimovic to Outdated Trafford after being blown away by the late-career rejuvenation of the Swedish nice.
Manchester United and Milan had been drawn collectively within the Europa League final 16 on Friday, giving the second-tier competitors a glamour tie.
A critical knee ligament damage sustained in April 2017, close to the top of his first season with Manchester United, raised doubts about whether or not Ibrahimovic would play on the highest degree once more. He bought match sufficient to make a first-team return earlier than heading off to LA Galaxy, seemingly to wind down his profession in the US.
But Ibrahimovic was not completed with European soccer and in December 2019 launched into a second spell with Milan, which has surpassed essentially the most beneficiant of expectations.
Ibrahimovic has scored 27 targets in 40 video games to date for the Rossoneri, together with 16 in 20 appearances this season to assist Milan mount a title problem. In doing so, the 39-year-old has handed the 500-goal mark in his membership profession.
Milan’s lead within the Scudetto race was reined in by Inter, who now cleared the path in Serie A, however Ibrahimovic’s influence has been seismic in Italy.
United loanee Diogo Dalot, who has performed 19 video games for Milan this season, may be heading again to Manchester for the March 11 first leg as he’s eligible for the tie.
“Zlatan, in fact, I have been so impressed, I’ve bought to say, by how his profession has gone,” United supervisor Solskjaer informed the membership’s official web site.
“He had a career-threatening damage when he was right here however got here again from that and went to MLS, then got here again to Milan and has actually lifted them. They’re on the up and have accomplished rather well this season.
“I have been so impressed by him, and Diogo we all know. He went there to get some expertise at an enormous membership and he is realized lots. He is performed much more video games this season, stored match and, hopefully, we can provide him some hassle!”
Ibrahimovic hit 28 targets in 46 video games in his first season at United, including yet another strike in seven video games within the following season as he fought his means again to full health.
His United targets got here at a charge of 1 each 139.1 minutes, in comparison with his gorgeous Milan common strike charge of 109.9 minutes per aim.
He has additionally boosted his massive likelihood conversion charge from 35.7 per cent at United to 45 per cent with Milan.
Solskjaer, whose aspect face Chelsea within the Premier League this Sunday, could have wished for a kinder European draw, significantly because it got here on the Norwegian’s forty eighth birthday.
“It is a good birthday present, is not it? To observe that draw!” he mentioned. “We do have the custom of constructing it exhausting for ourselves in attracts.
“It is one of many these attracts once more that you simply really feel could possibly be a Champions League recreation. It is good for us to have these video games to look ahead to. This staff wants challenges and we take pleasure in challenges and we embrace them.
“The custom and historical past of AC Milan, it is an excellent membership that we welcome and it is an excellent stadium that we go to there, and we’re trying ahead to it.”
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