Ibrahimovic Announces Departure from PSG
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SPORTS SATURDAY, MAY 14, 2016 Ibrahimovic announces departure from PSG PARIS: Zlatan Ibrahimovic confirmed yesterday that he will leave Paris mer Ajax, Juventus, Inter Milan, Barcelona and AC Milan star’s next Record goal-scorer Saint-Germain at the end of this season, but the French champions destination. He has been linked with a move to the English Premier Ibrahimovic scored his 36th league goal of the season in said the Swedish star will eventually return in a “management” role. League, while his agent recently suggested he could return to AC Wednesday’s 1-1 draw at Bordeaux, leaving him just one away from “My last game tomorrow at Parc des Princes. I came like a king, left like Milan and Major League Soccer is another potential destination. One equaling Argentine striker Carlos Bianchi’s PSG record of 37 in a top- a legend,” wrote Ibrahimovic on Twitter, ending speculation that he report in Italy earlier yesterday said he was “90 percent” likely to con- flight campaign, set back in 1978. He has 46 in all competitions and could extend his contract with PSG beyond this season. Ibrahimovic, tinue his career with LA Galaxy. Ibrahimovic, who last weekend was has 152 goals in total as a PSG player in 178 appearances, having over- whose existing deal expires on June 30, will make his final home crowned France’s player of the year for a record third time, has taken Portuguese great Pauleta as the club’s all-time leading scorer appearance for the club in their last Ligue 1 game of the season enjoyed enormous domestic success with PSG since moving to the back in October. Ibrahimovic has also become the club’s all-time lead- against Nantes today. However, he will then run out in a PSG shirt one French capital from Milan in 2012, winning the Ligue 1 title in each of ing scorer in the league and in Europe, but he never really managed to more time when they face Marseille in the French Cup final on May 21 his four seasons. If Paris win the French Cup next week, they will have reproduce his brilliant domestic form in the Champions League. at the Stade de France. “After discussions between Paris Saint- completed a clean sweep of the domestic honors for the second year The Swede performed poorly in PSG’s quarter-final exit to Germain and the agent of Zlatan Ibrahimovic, the club and the player running and Ibrahimovic will have won 12 trophies with the club. “I Manchester City last month, missing a penalty in the 2-2 first-leg have mutually decided not to renew his contract,” PSG said. “They am very proud of the last four years. I have loved every day I have draw at the Parc des Princes before Paris went out 3-2 on aggregate. have also agreed that once his playing career is over, Ibra will join the spent here,” Ibrahimovic said. “PSG has become a star club interna- “It is a bit of a sad moment. A page is turning. We are never really management of the club in a position of responsibility.” In the mean- tionally and I have played a major part in that transformation. “The prepared. We are witnessing the final moments of the greatest play- time, Ibrahimovic will make his French swansong as a player when he time has now come for me to take a different path. “This is not a er to have played in Ligue 1 in recent years,” lamented PSG coach turns out for Sweden at Euro 2016 in June. farewell but simply a goodbye for now. I came here like a king and Laurent Blanc. In Paris speculation will now turn to who PSG will There has been widespread speculation about the 34-year-old for- leave as a legend. But I will come back!” sign to replace their talisman.—AFP French League Preview Italian League Preview Monaco hoping to hold on Frosinone ‘key’ as Roma to Champions League spot battle Napoli for second PARIS: Monaco must avoid a slip-up on the final last year and are second now. Paris are first day of the French season today or risk losing out again. We would be doing the same as last year ROME: It is a picturesque town 100 km south of after the summer. Roma’s Greek defender on a Champions League berth at the expense of by coming third.” Rome and notorious for high levels of pollution, Kostas Manolas said: “We know it will be difficult local rivals Nice. The principality club have been Jardim, who has this week seen injured mid- but little Frosinone play the Serie A kingmakers against Milan, because they need points. But we in the top three since December but have stum- fielder Joao Moutinho return to training, denied today when Roma battle Napoli for runners-up are a top side and, as usual, we’re going there to bled in recent weeks and a 6-1 trouncing at his future at the club depends on securing third spot and a sure Champions League place. win. “Napoli have an easier game than us, but Lyon last weekend effectively ended their hopes spot. “For me, I will be here at the end of June to Despite Juventus securing a record-equalling we’ll fight to finish second.” Seven-time of finishing second and sealing automatic prepare next season. I have always had the full fifth successive crown last month, there is still European champions Milan have sunk so low Champions League qualification. Monaco host backing of those in charge,” he said. Nice have plenty at stake in Italy’s top flight with they are now battling Sassuolo for a sixth place mid-table Montpellier at the Stade Louis II to win to stand a chance of overtaking their Champions League and Europa League places finish and a chance to qualify for the Europa knowing that a three-point deficit to second- Cote d’Azur neighbors but coach Claude Puel up for grabs on the final weekend of action. League. Although Milan can secure a place in placed Lyon coupled with a far inferior goal dif- hinted that his club would be better off going Frosinone have already been relegated Europe’s second-tier competition with victory ference means they must instead focus on mak- into the Europa League. “It is important to hold along with Verona to Serie B, and for the scep- over Juventus in the May 21 final of the Italian ing sure of third spot, which carries with it a on to fourth place but we need to keep going tics there is arguably one more reason to believe Cup, they are not favourites. If holders Juve berth in the Champions League third qualifying right to the end in case our neighbors stumble,” they won’t rise to the occasion at Napoli’s San retain the Cup, the competition’s Europa League round. Leonardo Jardim’s side, quarter-finalists said Puel. “We are not going to focus on third Paolo stadium today. Frosinone coach Roberto spot will go to the sixth place finishers and in Europe’s elite club competition last season, place. If the chance presents itself we will say Stellone once played for Napoli and on Sassuolo, who host Inter Milan today, are one must win to be sure of a podium place. then how we feel about it.” Thursday admitted: “I will always support point ahead of Milan, in seventh. A third team Otherwise, Nice, two points back in fourth with Nice are likely to lose their star player Hatem Napoli. What an atmosphere at the San Paolo!” will be relegated tomorrow, and Carpi’s bid to a better goal difference, can capitalize by beat- Ben Arfa, linked to Barcelona, while Puel himself Yet Napoli, sitting second with a two-point lead beat the drop has been compounded by a ing Guingamp in Brittany. “In the last match we is soon out of contract and is said to be a con- on Roma in third, are already firmly in the driv- bizarre war of words that started when Palermo took a big blow. We lost, that’s the way it is, but tender to become the next Bordeaux coach. A ing seat and heading towards an estimated 30m chief Maurizio Zamparini made premature dec- we have re-mobilized and got back down to young side would surely struggle to reach the euros jackpot generated by qualifying directly to larations last week. —AFP work,” said Jardim, who insisted third place is Champions League group stage, and if they did the competition’s group stages. where his team belong. “Lyon finished second come third it could make life awkward for on- If Maurizio Sarri’s men needed extra motiva- Italian Serie A table loan striker Valere Germain, another outstand- tion ahead of an expected sell-out at the impos- ing performer who is due to return to parent ing San Paolo, they need look no further than French Ligue 1 table Gonzalo Higuain. The Argentine striker is only MILAN: Italian Serie A table ahead of final club Monaco. Nice won 7-2 in Guingamp last round of fixtures (played, won, drawn, lost, season but have won just one of their last 11 two goals short of equalling AC Milan and Sweden striker Gunnar Nordahl’s 1950 record of goals for, goals against, points): PARIS: French Ligue 1 table ahead of the away league games. A point would almost cer- Juventus 37 28 4 5 70 2088 — final day of the season today (played, won, tainly secure fourth spot, with Saint-Etienne 35 goals in a 20-team, three-points-for-a-win season.