Juventus midfielder Pavel Nedved has urged the club to offload unsettled striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic and warned them against forcing him to stay.
The 34-year-old former Czech Republic captain, who has been Ibrahimovic's room-mate during the club's training camp in Pinzolo, defended the Swede, who was absent from a session on Saturday morning.
Nedved, who has committed his own future to the Italian giants despite their demotion to Serie B, understands the desire of Ibrahimovic to join the likes of Gianluca Zambrotta, Fabio Cannavaro and Patrick Vieira in exiting the club.
"I am not going to judge him, just like I didn't judge Zambrotta, Cannavaro and Vieira," Nedved said.
"If he doesn't want to stay here, it is not right trying to keep him."
On Friday afternoon, Ibrahimovic refused to play in a pre-season friendly with La Spezia, a decision which will earn the striker a hefty fine, and on Saturday morning he did not train due to a knee injury.
While the Turin-based club continue to block a move away, Nedved believes it is inevitable the pair will not be playing together in Serie B next season.
He said: "Obviously, I am very sorry not to be able to have a player as strong as he is and who is, in many senses, irreplaceable.
"But you cannot hold onto somebody who doesn't know how to cope without Serie A and the Champions League."
http://www.soccer365.com/EUROPEAN_NEWS/Italy_News/page_179_124885.shtml
The 34-year-old former Czech Republic captain, who has been Ibrahimovic's room-mate during the club's training camp in Pinzolo, defended the Swede, who was absent from a session on Saturday morning.
Nedved, who has committed his own future to the Italian giants despite their demotion to Serie B, understands the desire of Ibrahimovic to join the likes of Gianluca Zambrotta, Fabio Cannavaro and Patrick Vieira in exiting the club.
"I am not going to judge him, just like I didn't judge Zambrotta, Cannavaro and Vieira," Nedved said.
"If he doesn't want to stay here, it is not right trying to keep him."
On Friday afternoon, Ibrahimovic refused to play in a pre-season friendly with La Spezia, a decision which will earn the striker a hefty fine, and on Saturday morning he did not train due to a knee injury.
While the Turin-based club continue to block a move away, Nedved believes it is inevitable the pair will not be playing together in Serie B next season.
He said: "Obviously, I am very sorry not to be able to have a player as strong as he is and who is, in many senses, irreplaceable.
"But you cannot hold onto somebody who doesn't know how to cope without Serie A and the Champions League."
http://www.soccer365.com/EUROPEAN_NEWS/Italy_News/page_179_124885.shtml
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