AC Milan striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic, who is infamously not a big admirer of his former boss Pep Guardiola, has now claimed that Manchester City sensation Erling Haaland will only get stronger if the "Spanish manager's ego" allows him to do so.
Ibrahimovic's issue with City boss stems from their time together at FC Barcelona. The Swede failed to make an impact in Catalonia, and was offloaded by Guardiola after just one failed season at the club following a fallout with the tactician due to his playing philosophy.
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In a December 2021 interview, the Milan veteran revealed what caused their sour relationship, which still reportedly remains fractured despite more than a decade having passed since they went their separate ways in 2011.
"Guardiola never understood me," the 41-year-old said, according to All Soccer. "He wanted to program everything I had to do on the pitch.
"Guardiola doesn't like players with personality. I became a problem and since he couldn't solve it, I solved it by leaving."
It is evident the Rossoneri centre-forward is still not a fan of the Citizens mentor today, having suggested in a recent interview that the only thing that could stand in the way of Haaland becoming an even greater player is Guardiola's ego.
"Do I like Haaland? Yes, very much so," Ibrahimovic told Canal Plus.
"I think he is a very intelligent player.
"He doesn't do things that he is not capable of doing.
"He doesn't go down to get the ball to play.
"He waits in front of the goal and he kills them all.
"He reminds me of players like [Filippo] Inzaghi, [David] Trezeguet, [Christian] Vieri.
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"He is the new version of these players.
"Can Guardiola make Haaland even stronger? It depends on Guardiola's ego, if he lets him become bigger than him or not.
"Because he didn't let me get bigger? Me or others? Not only me, many others."
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