Oliver Giroud has struggled with some injuries at the start of this season, including back and ankle issues, and he also tested positive for Covid-19. In short, it hasn’t been a walk in the park but he has still been decisive.
The Frenchman was brought in this summer to act as the backup for Zlatan Ibrahimovic, who cannot play every game from start to finish anymore. In 11 appearances, the 35-year-old has added four goals to his tally.
Some of them have been decisive as well, such as the winner against Torino and the first goal that sparked the turnaround against Verona. The start to his adventure despite all the injury struggles, therefore, has been fairly good.
In an interview with L’Equipe, as cited by MilanNews, Giroud spoke about joining Milan and he also revealed what he told Pioli when he signed for the club. Down below are the quotes in full.
His arrival…
“My arrival in Italy was somewhat written in the stars (after being linked with many clubs, editor’s note). Destiny wanted it to be Milan. I wanted to discover this league. I wanted to take on a new challenge. Everything was there to boost my career.”
In the shadow of Ibrahimovic…
“When I signed the contract at Casa Milan, Pioli, Maldini, Massara, my agent Michele Manuello and I were present. The coach asked me about Ibra and how I saw competing with him. I said that if I didn’t think I could play with Zlatan, if I wasn’t ready to compete, I wouldn’t be in that office. Ibra didn’t scare me.
“It’s also an opportunity to grow with him, to be able to continue learning with a person who has had an exceptional career. Ibrahimovic is a leader: we complement each other. His charisma, his presence in the locker room and his leadership on the pitch are above all else. I’m here to be an added value, even for an experience, but the important thing is that we are both still hungry for competition and trophies. We remain determined and even complementary.”
On his start to the season with Milan…
“I have the satisfaction of having started well. I have scored four goals in five home games. And I’ve had Covid, back problems andmchronic ankle problems. But this is the daily life of a 35-year-old!”
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