Zlatan Ibrahimovic, the Los Angeles Galaxy striker, has revealed the scenes of his departure from Barcelona, his refusal to join Manchester City and his request to join Real Madrid. Zlatan moved to Barcelona in the summer of 2009, but spent only one season with him before Pep Guardiola, the manager of Barca, asked the club to sell him at any price. He then moved to Milan on loan before the latter was finally granted.
The British newspaper Sun published excerpts from Zlatan's new book, saying he had refused to join Manchester City.
"We had a meeting with former club president Sandro Rosell, he was good and honest, and he told me that Guardiola wanted to sell me at all costs," the Swede said in his book.
"He told me that I could choose the club I wanted and they would call him to introduce me to him. I told him that I did not want to leave, and at some point they asked me about Manchester City and whether it could be an option for me."
"I told them I was not interested in him at all, that was the end of it, but I later found out that they agreed to sell me to Manchester City without my knowledge, and the price was higher than that I went to Milan."
Although scoring 22 goals in his first season with Barcelona in 46 games, Zlatan says he began to doubt himself this season, claiming that Guardiola was imposing on players as much as a school.
"For me, Guardiola was not telling me what the problem was, and I started to think about it, did I do something, am I funny, is my nose big?"
"We held several meetings. At our third meeting, Russell was desperate. He told me that I should tell them where I wanted to go because Guardiola did not want me," he said.
"I gave them an answer in the end, and I told them well that there is one club that I consider important for me, Real Madrid," he said.
"Rosell told me immediately that this will not happen. In that case you can stay, do what you want with Guardiola but I will not call Real Madrid," he said.
