Liverpool locked horns with Zlatan Ibrahimovic once again last season when they were drawn against AC Milan in the Champions League group-stages. With the Reds winning 3-2 at Anfield and 2-1 at the San Siro, the former Manchester United striker was memorably on the receiving end of a ‘Cruyff turn’ from Nat Phillips in his own penalty area.
However, he missed Il Rosseneri’s trip to Anfield in September 2021, having only just returned from a long-term injury. In fact, he had only just made his comeback in Milan’s previous match, coming off the bench to score as they won 2-0 against Lazio.
The Swede’s comeback wasn’t without further incident either, during a heated clash at the San Siro, as he came to blows with two Liverpool fan-favourites. On the receiving end of a heavy tackle from former Red Lucas Leiva, Ibrahimovic reacted by grabbing the Brazilian by the throat.
READ MORE: Darwin Nunez has already admitted what has to happen at Liverpool next season
READ MORE: Alexis Mac Allister could be handed his 'dream' shirt number after Liverpool move
In the resulting melee, former Chelsea manager Maurizio Sarri traded insults with one of the veteran’s team-mates, which in turn led to the striker clashing with former Liverpool goalkeeper Pepe Reina in tunnel after the game. Confused? Allow Ibrahimovic, who last night announced his retirement from football at the age of 41, himself to explain…
“It’s not only the referees who ask old Ibra for help in solving disputes on the pitch. His opponents do, too - Lazio manager Maurizio Sarri, for instance,” he recalled in his latest autobiography, ‘Adrenaline,’ which was published in English last year. “Milan-Lazio, 12 September 2021: we’re winning 2-0, I’m shielding the ball and, immediately after I pass to a team-mate, Lucas Leiva tackles me hard from behind.
“I instinctively grabbed him by the throat, because I'm worried. I’ve just come back from four months out with a knee injury, and I don’t want to get hurt again. It’s only for a second or two, though.
“I relax immediately and let go of him. Francesco Acerbi shows up and starts acting tough. ‘Do you want to hit me, too?’ ‘What the f**k are you talking about? Your friend is the one who hit me’, I reply. ‘Why don’t you tell your team-mates to calm down, and then come back and talk to me’.
“I’m relaxed, and in fact I laugh and kid around with their forward Pedro, and we hug. But all around us is sheer chaos. Lazio’s coach, Maurizio Sarri, comes over to me and bellows, ‘Ibra, I’m 60 years old’. That guy needs to show me respect! He can’t be gesturing rudely at me like that!’
“‘Hey, sorry, I don’t know what you’re talking about. What happened? Who are you talking about?’ ‘Alexis Saelemaekers’, he replies. ‘What did he do to you?’ I ask. ‘He held up two fingers of one hand, like the number of goals Milan scored’. ‘That’s not right. Hold on, let me talk to him’.
“I need to hear Alexis’ version too. I can’t simply settle for one side of the story. Right or wrong, I always defend my team-mates. Saelemaekers tells me that Sarri called him a ‘piece-of-s**t Frenchman’, and he simply pointed to the scoreboard with the match score. Neither is acceptable.”
He continued: “We head into the tunnel leading to the dressing rooms. The Lazio sporting director, Igli Tare, comes over. I’m on good terms with him. And so is their goalie, Pepe Reina, who wants to talk to Alexis.
“I stop him. ‘Listen, Pepe. Twenty of you have already attacked him. You’re the twenty-first. You’re a little late to the show. The kid understands. Now let me talk to your coach. He’s the one who came looking for me’.
“Reina retorts, ‘Who do you think you are?’ Wrong question: one of the lines that really gets on my nerves. ‘I don’t think I’m anybody in particular. But what the f**k do you want, Reina?’
“He calms down. Anyway, I take Saelemaekers to talk to Sarri, so that they can work it out between them. They talk and Alexis apologises. Peace reigns - it’s all settled. Sheriff Ibra, the new peace officer, has completed his mission.”
This article was first published in September 2022.
READ NEXT:
Liverpool remain in top spot as Man Utd miss chance and Man City don't come close
Liverpool winger 16-month nightmare nears end as options set to improve
Graeme Souness recreates infamous celebration that nearly sparked riot
Chelsea target two Liverpool-linked midfielders after Manuel Ugarte transfer blow
Manu Kone has already made Liverpool stance clear amid transfer transfer links
