After making his comeback in Milan’s win over Atalanta following a nine-month injury layoff, Zlatan Ibrahimovic compared himself to basketball player Nikola Jokic.
The dependable striker entered in the second half of Sunday’s 2-0 victory at San Siro after going unused in three previous games this month.
At 41 years and 146 days, he broke the record for the oldest Serie A player for Milan during the three-points-per-win era (since 1993–94), Alessandro Costacurta (41y and 25d).
Similar to Denver Nuggets’ two-time NBA MVP Jokic, the international player from Sweden believes he still has a significant role to play even though he will turn 42 later this year.
“I want to help the team in every way by doing what I have to do to be there on the field,” he told Sky Sports. “I want to be there when the coach and the team need me.
“It’s obvious things change between the age of 30 and 41, but I feel like Jokic in the NBA.”
Ibrahimovic’s previous appearance for Milan came in a 3-0 win over Sassuolo on May 25 last year, with the former Barcelona striker injuring his knee and undergoing surgery.
Given his age at the time of the operation and the length of the layoff, many expected Ibrahimovic to call time on his legendary career.
“I’ve lived this year with great suffering,” he said when asked what it means to be back playing again at the highest level. “I’ve been out for a year.
“I didn’t feel well, and I couldn’t do what I wanted to do. I went on suffering to help the team, but in reality, I wasn’t well.
“Today I can say that I’m fine and that I can give what I can to the team. Then obviously the more you play, the more you train, and the more you improve.”
Juan Musso’s own goal—after Theo Hernandez’s volley hit the post and went in off the goalkeeper’s back—and Junior Messias’ late strike earned Milan a fourth win in a row.
That includes three Serie A wins on the spin without conceding for the first time in a year, helping to lift the Rossoneri level on points with second-place rivals Inter.
It has been a largely disappointing campaign on the whole for Milan as they are 18 points adrift of leaders Napoli, something Ibrahimovic suggested may be down to his absence.
“I’ve done everything I can to recover, but in the last few weeks I’ve seen the team do well,” he said. “We must continue doing more if we are to do well.
“I feel important and have a great responsibility here. I started an adventure with this team and helped to bring it where we are today.
“When I’m not available, I suffer, and perhaps the team lacks a bit of my pressure as a result.”