IBRAHIMOVIC: "INTER, MY TEAM AS A BOY"
Thursday, 10 August 2006 17:29:56
APPIANO GENTILE - After signing a four-year contract with Inter, Zlatan Ibrahimovic was unveiled to the press this afternoon in a news conference at Angelo Moratti Sports Centre. The Swedish striker of Bosnian-Croat origins was presented by Inter's transfer market men Marco Branca and Gabriele Oriali.
Part one of Ibrahimovic's presentation news conference:
It seemed like you were about to join Milan, but today you signed for Inter.
"I am very happy that it has all gone well. Thanks to Marco (Branca), Lele (Oriali) and Dr Moratti. He's not just a good patron, he is also an exceptional person. When I heard of Inter's interest in me I was very happy because when it is the team I supported as a boy."
We see you smiling at last. It hasn't been a good period for you lately.
"Yes, I am very happy. I have joined a team that is very strong now so I am very happy. My future is here now, and I feel confident with the trainer because he was a fantastic player.
This is the perfect environment to play football."
You have the great ability to set up goals for colleagues. Do you feel like a second striker? Who is your ideal strike partner?
"I don't know. There are six strikers here and they are all very good. I don't know which one is most suited to playing with me. I have come to Inter to win."
When you were at Juve you had a few confrontations with Cordoba and Mihajlovic on the pitch.
"What happens on the pitch stays on the pitch. I played against them in the last two seasons, now we will play together. Cordoba and Mihajlovic are two great defenders and I am very happy to be here with them."
Del Piero still says that Juve won the Scudetto on the pitch. You won it with the Bianconeri but you will wear the Scudetto on Inter's shirt. How do you feel about this?
"I still feel a champion. In the last two years at Juventus we trained every day, we played every week and we did our best on the pitch. We won two titles. I still feel I am a champion."
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