Zlatan closed circle after 5343 Days – Aftonbladet

malmo. How long is forever?

The anticipation of a circle to be closed, a destiny fulfilled .

Question Zlatan Ibrahimovic and he would answer you wait, way, been worth every single hour, every single step.

To be standing here again, playing here again, in the midst of love .

5343 days ago Zlatan Ibrahimovic scored for Malmo FF Malmo, the last time. Now he was back, scored again, against his former club. The circle was closed, and feeling powerful enough to give the great “goose bumps”.

5343 days. Another Time, Another Life. As a young cocky kid who would win everywhere and everyone. An uncut jewel, harvested from the hard ground. With many sharp edges but shimmering like few.

Beautiful setting – then disappointment

Last night was Zlatan Ibrahimovic at Swedbank Stadion, the club where he began to write his name into the larger football history. Sky blue scarves on outstretched arms, singing to full moon, Scanian flags in the raw cold evening. Ibrahimovic came home, but before the game was all about football, about the MFF for the home crowd.

A beautiful setting and then, disappointment.

Prelude was the most beautiful. Act, it was the waiting, the end as well. Anticlimax for Malmo, redemption for PSG.

Post out. Approximately one can summarize Malmo FF’s evening. Markus Rosenberg missed his penalty, defense missed its mark right from the start, Malmo missed his last probable chance of remaining in Europe games.

Happiness and respect for the objective

PSG however booked his place in round of the Champions League. It came, saw and conquered, just as easily as we can expect and ask of such a star-studded, money stint law. “Scania against Qatar. Passion for cash “was written on placards in the stands, before the game and we smiled a little at the raw Skåne cold in the press gallery.

PSG’s fans may not subscribe to that thing with passion. But is not MFF a club with totally different ancestry, different history, different traditions.

But only love and will win no victories against oil money and big projects. Nothing new in that. Had anyone imagined that the MFF would match PSG took only fifteen minutes before the illusion was over. 2-0 to the visitors and Zlatan got late in the second half refill to 3-0 against his old club. Good luck, but no excessive triumph, in respect. Di Maria’s 4-0 made the atmosphere even quieter, further underlined the class difference. Lucas 5-0 rout was a fact.

True to Malmö in yet another match offered for simple mistakes, conceded goals too easily, could not be bothered to invite real

resistance. But equally true is that PSG did MFF bad. Each time you arrived, it became dangerous, while the home team’s attack was stopped relatively easily.

Add to that a few missed opportunities, a missed penalty and Malmö had lost what little hope they had. Åge Hareides frustration was noticeable.

Home winner

Ibrahimovic received a standing ovation as he left the field. When I met him late at night in the interview zone, he described the feeling as “magical” and spoke of the great amount of love he met with and their willingness to answer it.

As with the party in the town square, his gift to the city and the people. A football feast, despite the rain and the dark times, and that Ibrahimovic last night described as “a success”.

He then went out to the waiting play bus, leaving Malmo for his emotionally charged performances.

Daily life returns to Malmö, for the MFF, the fans and for all those who waited for the King’s return.

Zlatan loves his hometown, but when I interviewed him recently in Paris, it was very clear that Stockholm is the only realistic option, if he really return to little Sweden. Perhaps did it return more emotionally saturated for him.

5343 days. Time enough for Zlatan to travel out as a conqueror and the home as a winner.