Ibrahimovic: Chiellini would be in the hospital if I had a problem with him
Sweden's forward Zlatan Ibrahimovic (L) gestures beside Italy's defender Giorgio Chiellini during the Euro 2016 group E football match between Italy and Sweden at the Stadium Municipal in Toulouse on June 17, 2016. / AFP / Pascal PAVANI (Photo credit should read PASCAL PAVANI/AFP/Getty Images)
Zlatan Ibrahimovic insisted that Giorgio Chiellini would be “in the hospital” if he had any problem with him during Sweden’s defeat to Italy.
The former Juventus team-mates duelled throughout a match which remained goalless until Eder’s 88th-minute winner for the Azzurri.
Ibrahimovic appeared unhappy with one Chiellini challenge on John Guidetti but insisted after the match that he holds no grudge towards the centre-back.
“Everything was okay,” he told reporters. “It’s all fine. If not, he’d be in the hospital right now.”
“This game shows that against a team like Italy, great team that they are, you must play for the entire 90 minutes,” Ibrahimovic added.
“It’s not enough to play for 89. You must be cautious for the whole game.”
The out-of-contract striker was left to rue a result which leaves Sweden on one point after two matches, with group rivals Belgium and the Republic of Ireland in action on Saturday.
Italy’s six points have all but secured the group and will advance to the next round.
