{"id":1236954,"date":"2021-12-09T10:27:54","date_gmt":"2021-12-09T10:27:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/en\/?p=1236954"},"modified":"2021-12-09T10:27:54","modified_gmt":"2021-12-09T10:27:54","slug":"jurgen-klopp-zlatan-ibrahimovic-legend-liverpool-milan","status":"publish","type":"news","link":"https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/en\/news\/jurgen-klopp-zlatan-ibrahimovic-legend-liverpool-milan\/","title":{"rendered":"Jurgen Klopp: Zlatan Ibrahimovic is a legend"},"content":{"rendered":"

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has branded Zlatan Ibrahimovic a “legend and a proper character”, highlighting his opinionated personality as an admirable trait.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Klopp recently visited the San Siro for the first time as a manager, with his Liverpool side completing a perfect group-stage record in the Champions League, winning all six of their games, including Tuesday’s 2-1 win over AC Milan.<\/p>\n

Fikayo Tomori broke the deadlock at the San Siro, but Klopp’s heavily-rotated side bounced back and secured a 2-1 triumph to consolidate their status as one of just nine teams to complete a flawless group-stage campaign in the competition’s history, with goals from Mohamed Salah and Divock Origi completing the turnaround.<\/p>\n\n

Ibrahimovic, by his standards and lofty expectations, had a relatively quiet night on home soil as the current Serie A leaders crashed out of European competition, finishing bottom of Group B, with Atletico Madrid sealing progression and Porto dropping down to the Europa League.<\/p>\n

Liverpool’s defence worked well to keep the Swedish legend under lock and key, but Klopp could not help but admire the now 40-year-old, who he has described as a “legend” of the game, and someone whose outspoken temperament makes him a “proper character”.<\/p>\n

“Ibrahimovic is a legend, you usually become a legend when you retire, but he is already a legend and still playing at 40!,” Klopp said before the match.<\/span><\/p>\n

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READ MORE:<\/span> Salah is inevitable and Sebastien joins the Haller of Fame: The Champions League action you might have missed<\/a><\/p><\/div>\n

“He\u2019s a proper character, he has his opinion on things and isn\u2019t interested in what other people think. I like that. I hope I won\u2019t like his next 90 minutes though!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Klopp also spoke about his admiration for the San Siro, lamenting the fact that he had not yet taken charge of a game in Italy’s most iconic venue.<\/p>\n

He added: “I am 54 years old it\u2019s my first time at San Siro, it\u2019s a real shame I waited this long. I played Napoli, Juve a couple of times, Roma, but never here. <\/span><\/p>\n

“It is a really exceptional stadium.”<\/span><\/p>\n