Zlatan Ibrahimovic accepts humiliating award and admits 'it's deserved'
Zlatan Ibrahimovic has continued to work with AC Milan since his retirement, and the former Sweden international shared in the club's pain after their Champions League exit
Former AC Milan star Zlatan Ibrahimovic admitted the award he received for humiliated celebrities was no more than he deserved after the Rossoneri crashed out of Europe.
Ibrahimovic, who won two Serie A titles with Milan, returned to the club as a senior advisor after retiring in 2023. A second-place finish last term secured Champions League football, but things have been tougher this term.
Paulo Fonseca joined as manager over the summer but was sacked in December with the team down in eighth. His successor Sergio Conceicao has overseen an uptick in domestic results, but Milan had to make do with a knockout play-off in the Champions League after losing their final league phase match against Dinamo Zagreb.
After a first-leg defeat away to Feyenoord, Conceicao's team levelled things up on aggregate through new signing Santi Gimenez and had chances to score again. Their hopes faded after Theo Hernandez was shown a second yellow card for diving, though, with Feyenoord substitute Julian Carranza sending the Dutch side through.
READ MORE: Kyle Walker's prediction backfires after bold comments on leaving Man CityREAD MORE: Inter Miami's 'evil empire' jibe as MLS rivals LA Galaxy opt for different approachAs reported by Striscia la Noticia (via Goal), that defeat earned Ibrahimovic the Tapiro d'Oro (Golden Tapir) - a prize reserved for humiliated or defeated celebrities. It was actor Valerio Staffelli who did the honours of presenting the Swede with the trophy, which the ex-footballer admitted was warranted.
“We are disappointed and angry, the Tapiro is well deserved," Ibrahimovic said. "It was not a positive moment. [On Wednesday] there was a lack of maturity, but now the objective is to remain united as a group for the championship and the Coppa Italia.”
Milan weren't the only Italian side to suffer European frustration during the play-off round. Champions League defeats for Juventus and Atalanta left Serie A at risk of missing out on an extra Champions League spot, though Roma came through a tricky tie against Porto to progress to the Europa League round of 16.
What has gone wrong for Milan? Have your say in the comments section
Despite an uptick in domestic form under Conceicaio, Milan still sit seventh in Serie A. They are some 15 points adrift of league leaders Napoli, though Juventus - in the fourth Champions League qualification spot - are just five points away.
Left-back Hernandez apologised for his red card after it cost his team dearly in the second leg against Feyenoord. “Football is unpredictable: it offers us great joy, but also painful moments,” he wrote on Instagram (as translated by Football Italia).
“I feel immense frustration today. I apologise to my teammates for having left them down to 10 men and apologise to the fans who always support us. But this club is a family and together we will recover. Standing back on our feet all together, starting with me. Forza Milan.”
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