If Champions League glory is what Zlatan Ibrahimovic is after, he won’t find it in the French Capital.
As the Champions League Quarterfinal matches winded to a close yesterday, four teams moved forward into the semifinals of Europe’s most prestigious competition. Oddly enough, favorites PSG, were not one of them.
The French side was not necessarily favored to win the competition, but they were definitely preferred over Manchester City, and surely expected themselves to make it into the semifinals of the competition.
With the Ligue 1 already wrapped up, the only thing that Laurent Blanc’s side should have been focusing on was the Champions League. Every training session, every drill, every team talk should have circled around one thing. PSG beating Manchester City to the semifinals.
However, after the dust settled on Tuesday night, the result was not pretty for Le Parisiens. The club failed to advance past the quarterfinals once again.
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Since the occasion, blame has been aimed in several different directions. Zlatan Ibrahimovic has had to shoulder much of the blame, with supporters and pundits calling his performances over the two legs into question.
Many have turned to PSG to axe the Swedish International after this season, as his contract expires this summer, and the two sides have yet to sit down and discuss a future. Most of Paris has turned their back on their striker. But it should be Zlatan who turns his back on Paris.
While there is no denying that Zlatan wasn’t his best over the two legs, the Swede still managed to get on to the scoresheet in the home leg. He is also responsible for 2 of the 4 goals that knocked Chelsea out of the competition in the round prior.
In the return leg at Manchester City, the striker failed to get on the end of anything, as PSG were held scoreless. Some of the reason for the lack of threat has to be from the weird formation that Blanc elected to play in the first half. However, even with the change in the second half, the damage had already been done, City’s goal seemed inevitable, as did PSG’s exit at that point.
While Zlatan remains one of the most decorated footballers in the modern game, a Champions League winner’s medal has alluded him at every stage of his career. The thought was that his move to Barcelona would bring him his trophy. Instead he was met with further disappointment at the hands of his former boss Jose Mourinho and his relentless Inter Milan side, who ended up winning the competition.
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A fall out with Pep Guardiola lead to Zlatan moving on from the Catalans. While he continued to boss domestic competitions, the Swede never seemed to get close enough to Champions League glory. There is no doubt that the move to PSG was partly fueled by his desire for this trophy.
In Paris, he’s had the chance to be the face of the PSG project, while chasing the one trophy that matters to him at this point. On Tuesday, one thing should have become very clear to Ibrahimovic. He will not win a Champions League medal at PSG. The Parisiens simply don’t have enough talent to make it far enough in the tournament and won’t during Zlatan’s playing career.
Even with the acquisitions of Edison Cavani, David Luiz, and Angel Di Maria, there aren’t enough pieces to the puzzle. Especially when the injury bug strikes.
In a way, PSG faces a disadvantage by playing in France. English teams play tough matches on most weekends. This usually leaves them bruised and beaten when approaching the midweek matches and has ultimately caused them disappointment in Europe.
However, on the opposite end of the spectrum, PSG doesn’t really face tough competition all season. They simply aren’t tested enough. They clinched the league title in March. Not even Bayern in the Bundesliga has been capable of that sort of domination.
With a lack of competition, PSG can afford to coast, knowing that they’ll win the title sooner or later. A lack of competition domestically keeps them widely untested when it comes to transferring their talent to Europe’s largest competition. What appears an advantage to most, ends up plaguing the French side.
Therefore, if Zlatan wants one final shot to win the Champions League, he must move on from his current club. He needs to move to a team that is ready to win the title next season.
Realistically, the 34-year-old has 2 seasons left, perhaps three at most. These won’t be the best years of his career either.
While the Swedish International was able to score goals freely in the French league, he won’t as easily in a different league. But what he sacrifices in individual output, might allow him to chase the competition that has alluded him his entire career.
So where is Zlatan’s next stop?
Perhaps England, depending on where the dust settles. Maybe a shot with Arsenal or Manchester United. He won’t go to Chelsea and absolutely not to Manchester City with Guardiola set to take the reigns. However, neither Arsenal or United appear ready to win the Champions League.
Maybe he’ll return to Italy with Juventus, adding another top striker to their ranks.
Perhaps he may even try his hand at Real Madrid, Bayern Munich or Borussia Dortmund instead. There is a lot of pieces that will change between now and the start of next season.
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However, one thing is certain. Zlatan has one thing left on his checklist as a footballer. And he won’t check it off in Paris. If Ibrahimovic wants to win a Champions League during his playing career, he must leave PSG this summer.