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ZLATAN

Zlatan handed ban over Chelsea match red card

Sweden's star striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic will miss the first leg of his Paris Saint-Germain team's Champions League quarter-final after being banned for one match for his sending-off in the last round against Chelsea.

Zlatan handed ban over Chelsea match red card
Zlatan Ibrahimovic reacts after having fouled Chelsea's Oscar. Photo: AP Photo/Alastair Grant

But his Ivory Coast team mate Serge Aurier will have to sit out three matches for his outburst criticising the match referee on social media.

Ibrahimovic was shown a straight red card by Dutch referee Bjorn Kuipers in the 32nd minute of the second leg against Chelsea following a 50-50 challenge with Oscar, despite the fact that both players had seemed equally committed to the tackle.

The Swede is facing a further four-match suspension over comments he made about his host country at the end of last weekend's 3-2 defeat to Bordeaux.

Sweden's top striker in history took exception to some of the decisions made by referee Lionel Jaffredo and was furious at the final whistle when he stormed down the tunnel.

“In 15 years, I have never seen such a referee. In this shit country, this country does not deserve PSG. We are too good for this country,” the striker blasted.

Ibrahimovic later apologized for his remarks, saying “I expressed myself when I was upset and everyone knows that in these moments, the words surpass the meaning”.

Why Zlatan might think France is shit

The French league had initially said it would decide on Thursday whether or not to take sanctions over his outburst. But RMC Sport reported on Thursday afternoon that he would now be called to appear in front of a disciplinary committee on April 9th.

 
Swedish football hero Ibrahimovic makes headlines almost as much for his offhand comments as for his footballing prowess.
 
He has previously made remarks including "World Cup without me isn't worth watching" and mocked a local reporter who didn't have his own camera by asking “so it is low-budget?”.
 
He has become an icon for Paris fans and a wax effigy was unveiled at the Musee Grevin in Paris last month. But the latest trouble to hit the star could heighten speculation about his future at the club.

PSG will discover their quarter-final opponents when the draw is made on Friday in Switzerland.

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IBRAHIMOVIC

Zlatan has been ‘cured’ of coronavirus: AC Milan

AC Milan striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic has been given the all-clear to end his quarantine period and return to action after testing negative for coronavirus, the Serie A club announced on Friday.

Zlatan has been 'cured' of coronavirus: AC Milan
Zlatan Ibrahimovic celebrates after scoring a goal in September. Photo: Miguel Medina/AFP
Milan confirmed in a statement that the Swedish striker had “tested negative” twice in a row, as stipulated in the protocol to be able to lift the quarantine procedure.
   
Ibrahimovic, 39, sounded a more triumphal note on his social media: “You are cured! The health authority says the quarantine is over, you can go out!”, he wrote on Twitter.

The announcement comes a day after Milan said Ibrahimovic had tested positive a second time for Covid-19, putting in doubt his participation in the Milan derby on October 17.
 
   
Ibrahimovic first tested positive on September 24.
   
The derby remains in doubt with two other Milan players and five from Inter currently in self-quarantine.
   
In spite of his absence, Milan have made a decent start to the season, having climbed to second in Serie A after winning all three of their games and reaching the group stages of the Europa League.
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