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FOOTBALL

Ibrahimovic ‘should be fit for Russian match’

Swedish striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic should be fit to play against Russia in Wednesday's crucial Euro 2008 Group D match Sweden coach Lars Lagerbäck said on Sunday.

The 26-year-old Inter Milan marksman was replaced at half-time of Saturday’s 2-1 defeat by Spain – in which he had scored for the second game in succession – as he suffered a recurrence of the knee problem that kept him out of most of his club Inter Milan’s title run-in and made him a worry for the Spain match.

“We are taking it day by day,” said Lageräck, whose side need just a draw to progress to the last eight while the Russians must win.

“The fact he went off after one half against Spain and after he had played an hour against the Greeks (a 2-0 victory) should not be treated as negatively as that.

“I am counting on him playing against Russia.”

Ibrahimovic, who once memorably replied ‘I am brilliant’ to a question about how he would sum himself up, like the other starters against Spain did not train on Sunday, instead they contented themselves with a swimming session.

One of the Swedish medical team also expressed confidence that the former Ajax and Juventus star – who undergoes daily treatments of acupuncture and ultrasound, would be fit to take his place.

“We are confident he will be fit as the situation is stable, the pain he is feeling are similar to those that he felt after the first match,” said Magnus Forssblad.

“He did feel something after 45 minutes (against Spain) and as a precaution he came off. However, this morning all is going well and I believe he will play on Wednesday.”

RACISM

VIDEO: Spain’s La Liga reviews video of boy racially abusing Vinicius

Spain's La Liga on Monday said it was reviewing a video of a child making racist insults towards Real Madrid forward Vinicius Junior during the 2-2 draw with Valencia at the weekend.

VIDEO: Spain's La Liga reviews video of boy racially abusing Vinicius

“We’re in the process of studying and analysing the facts from a legal standpoint to see what we can and should do,” La Liga sources said.

In a video published by a journalist for ESPN Brasil, and picked up by Spanish media, a boy sitting in a woman’s lap can be heard calling Vinicius a “monkey”.

https://twitter.com/GravesenFumado/status/1764242481984491822

The Brazilian scored twice for Madrid as his team recovered from two goals down at Mestalla on Saturday.

Vinicius raised his fist in a “Black Power” salute after the first of his two goals at a ground where he was racially abused last season. Valencia subsequently banned three people from the stadium for life.

The 23-year-old has become a symbol of the fight against discrimination in Spanish football after suffering racist abuse on many occasions, and he was jeered repeatedly by home supporters on Saturday.

Jude Bellingham was sent off after the final whistle against Valencia for protesting after the referee blew the final whistle right before the England midfielder headed home what he thought was the winning goal.

READ ALSO: Football star Vinicius highlights racist behaviour from Spanish fans

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