Zlatan Ibrahimovic: Finally En Route To The Champions League Title?

For five years Zlatan Ibrahimovic has been plying his trade in Italy and Serie A. During that time, the Sweden international has blossomed into one of the most highly rated footballers in the world, along with his unique technical skills, wonderful back flicks, and the ability to singlehandedly determine the outcome of a game. Along the road he has also won an incredible five Scudetti (two revoked) and two Italian Super Cups.

This coming season he’s switched for La Liga outfit Barcelona that last season completed the very unpredicted historic triple as they rampaged their way to the title, picked up the Copa Del Rey, and lifted the Champions League trophy as they thumped Manchester United in the final by a 2-0 scoreline—all in Josep Guardiola’s first season on the Blaugrana bench.

Ibrahimovic’s departure has no doubt left a bitter aftertaste in the mouths of the Interisti faithful who have seen their gangly superstar play an integral part in delivering three consecutive league titles to the Nerazzurri—the team that he dreamt of playing for ever since he was a kid kicking his ball around the old pitches of his suburban hometown Rosengård.

To say that the Swede played an integral part is almost an understatement. The dependence on which the team placed on their hit man was more than obvious, as they tended to rise along his moments of sheer brilliance and fall when the burden of carrying the team became too heavy for the shoulders of Ibrahimovic.

It soon became clear that Ibrahimovic’s yearning for the Champions League title and desire to be the world’s greatest footballer had outgrown the priority of representing the team he had dreamt of since childhood. He had come to terms that his ambitions simply couldn’t be reached in the Nerazzurri shirt.

On July 27, Ibrahimovic was presented as Barcelona’s latest acquisition and after thanking Inter Milan president Massimo Moratti for the past three years he wasn’t late to stir controversy. In front of crowd of more than 50,000 people present at the Nou Camp, he kissed the badge of his new employers.

The reactions differed greatly as some were truly happy to see their latest addition embrace the club so quickly, while others were utterly disgusted by the gesture that they labeled the utmost betrayal. However, one thing was for certain, the happiness on the Swede’s face was almost tangible. 

Expectations are high on the prolific striker, and pundits expect the Swede to continue on with the same goal scoring form that landed him the Capocannoniere crown with 25 goals to his name.

On order to succeed Ibrahimovic will have to shake off the label of “notoriously anonymous” when it comes to the European stage, but there’s a lot of difference in his new surroundings, and he’ll have much more support on the field—especially from the middle of the park with players like Andres Iniesta and Xavi Hernandez serving the balls.

On top of that, there will be natural obstacles in adapting to a new country and a new league that puts its emphasis on a more technical and offensive football—especially since he missed the entire preseason due to a hand surgery.

The Swede, who debuted in the Blaugrana shirt in Barcelona’s 1-0 defeat to Manchester City on Wednesday, has confessed that he’s far from his peak at the moment, but there’s no doubt about the fact that he’s arrived at a club that shares the responsibilities and plays more like a team.

“My physical condition is not the best, and I lack rhythm. To become part of that mechanism takes training and matches that I have not had yet,” said Ibrahimovic to El Mundo Deportivo.

However, the physical condition isn’t something that concerns the confident forward who, over the summer on several occasions, reiterated that Barcelona was the only team he would leave Inter for.

“I’m starting to adapt to the team, and I'm getting to know everybody better both on and off the pitch. This is the only club where I can learn more. It’s here that I can develop even further as a player. The kind of football Barcelona plays fits me much better than that of any other team,” said Ibrahimovic to Expressen.

Fellow striker Thierry Henry expressed the same kind of emotions after his arrival from Arsenal in 2007. After struggling during his first season under the guidance of Franck Rijkaard, he excelled along with the rest of the team last season, and he finally lifted the Champions League trophy that had evaded him for so long.

The Catalan club is undoubtedly one of the hot favorites for next season’s edition of the Champions League, where Zlatan Ibrahimovic is hoping for the same happy outcome, and the forwards couldn’t have picked a better place to try and fulfill his ambitions.

Even if he has to endure a season of transition, the Swede could, despite his cocky outspokenness, come to walk down the same successful road with hard work and a humble approach to the game.