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FOOTBALL

Zlatan calls Galaxy ‘number one priority’

Zlatan Ibrahimovic, having played for several of Europe's finest clubs since his top-level debut 20 years ago, says the Los Angeles Galaxy are now his top priority.

Zlatan calls Galaxy 'number one priority'
Zlatan playing for LA Galaxy last season. Photo: AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez/TT

The 37-year-old forward said Saturday he is staying with the Major League Soccer side for the 2019 campaign because he longs to restore them to past glories.

“My number one priority was to stay in the Galaxy,” Ibrahimovic said at MLS Media Day. “I felt that I still had a lot to offer to the Galaxy.”

The Galaxy finished one point off a playoff spot in Ibrahimovic's first MLS campaign after he moved to the US following spells at Juventus, AC Milan, Paris Saint-Germain, Inter Milan, Barcelona, Ajax and Manchester United.

“The way we finished the season is not normal for me because normally where I go, I win,” he said.

“The fans deserve more for what they've done all season. Not even getting to the playoffs was something new for me. It was catastrophic not to make the playoffs, but having done it in sixth place would have been catastrophic.”

With flashy stars like Ibrahimovic and Mexico's Jonathan and Giovani Dos Santos, the Galaxy were a major disappointment, offering a challenge Ibrahimovic warmly accepts.

“I felt I had the challenge of winning with this team,” he said.

“The first year was more to see how I was after being almost a year and a half without playing because of an injury and in 10 minutes I showed the world what was still going on.”

But he only signed a one-year deal, uncertain how many more seasons remained in a career that began with Swedish side Malmö in 1999.

“I want to play as long as I can,” he said. “I'll continue while I can do it.”

READ ALSO: Swedish striker Zlatan named Newcomer of the Year in US soccer

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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”.

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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