Bologna winger Jesper Karlsson has provided a comparison between Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Joshua Zirkzee ahead of tonight’s meeting with AC Milan.
Karlsson was interviewed by La Gazzetta dello Sport (via Radio Rossonera) and it was published on the day of Milan-Bologna. The Swede is expected to return to the pitch this evening at the San Siro, but whether he will start or not remains to be seen.
In the statements released to the newspaper he spoke about his long-awaited return to the pitch after injury and regarding head coach Thiago Motta who continues to be linked with a big job like Milan.
“He is clear, he knows what he wants on the pitch and he makes it clear. When he teaches he knows what he’s talking about,” he said.
The former AZ Alkmaar star also spoke about how he is finding life in Serie A after moving from the Eredivisie, and of course he was asked about Zlatan Ibrahimovic who is his compatriot.
“He and I played together in the national team, I know him well. As a child I looked at Brazilians as role models, from Ronaldinho to Robinho or Neymar in recent years. Zlatan is legend, inspiration. Unique.
“Playing in Serie A is also a challenge for me. Not a technical challenge but a mental one, because the technical part of Italian football has never scared me, I feel like someone who has always wanted to compete.
“Motta teaches me the mechanisms, when to defend or support, everything that is part of team movements. In my life I have also played second striker but the best area for me is to start from the left, looking for goal.”
Moreover, he was quizzed on the similarity between the best player in Swedish football history and Joshua Zirkzee who is believed to be one of the striker targets for Milan in view of the summer.
“There is something, yes. Physicality or even knowing how to transform difficult situations into simple ones. It’s certainly nice to see him play.”
Remember when we signed CDK – and everyone and their mom was claiming that we just signed the NEW Kaka?
Yeah, well, they’re doing the same to Zirkzee.
Now he’s Zlatan like? Ok. Zirkzee like Zlatan. Only in the first letter of your last name. That’s it.
Zirkzee isn’t even an upgrade on a 37 yr old Giroud. I’d rather have a 41 yr old Ibra.
MONEYBALL MONCADA spinning his magic.