Soccer: Ibra 'best in Europe'
Inter chairman nominates on- fire Swede for Ballon D'Or
MILAN (ANSA) - On-fire Swedish striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic is the best soccer player in Europe at the moment, according to his proud employers Inter Milan. "Ibrahimovic is certainly worthy of the European Footballer of the Year award," chairman Massimo Moratti told reporters Monday. "He's an extraordinary player and he's decisive in every match. Let's hope he continues in the same vein because he would deserve that prize".
The lanky 25-year-old has become the driving force of a side that looks set to gallop to the title and smash the Serie A points record in the process. Once again Sunday the Swede produced a man-of-the-match showing, scoring both goals that sank Ascoli away from home.
The 1-2 win stretched Inter's lead over second-placed AS Roma - who drew 0-0 at Fiorentina - to 18 points.
With 10 games to go, Inter have already equalled their points tally of last season (76) and are on course to be the first Serie A side to cross the 100-points mark in a single campaign.
They have by far the most prolific attack in the championship, thanks in no small measure to Ibrahimovic, who has hit 15 of his team's 61 league goals.
The tall-yet-agile star should soon beat the goals tally of his best season so far - the 2004-05 campaign when he hit the net 16 times for Juventus. He is also in with a shout of taking the 'Capocannoniere' top-scorer-of-the-season crown.
He is tied with Fiorentina's Luca Toni and Reggina's Rolando Bianchi in second place in the rankings led by Roma captain Francesco Totti (18 goals). The goals tally alone, however, does not give the full picture of Ibrahimovic's contribution.
The striker sets up as many chances as he scores and even seems to be impressing himself.
"I've never played the way I'm playing at the moment," he said recently.
Ibrahimovic joined Inter from Juventus for 24.8 million euros last summer.
At the time some questioned the wisdom of paying so much for a player who has lots of tricks and nice touches, but was not particularly prolific in his second year with the Turin club, when he notched up just seven league goals.
What's more, he has a bit of a temper and was involved in several incidents during his two years at Juve. Two red cards for Inter before Christmas seemed to bode ill, but he has since brought his disciplinary problems under control.
He has also managed to give a greater sense of purpose to his creative flourishes, which at times in the past seemed a tad self-serving. Much of the credit should go to Inter coach Roberto Mancini, who has given Ibrahimovic the tactical freedom to go where he feels most dangerous - something he did not have at Juventus under Fabio Capello.
He has also instilled previously unseen signs of modesty in him.
"I'm playing well, but I want to improve and do even more," he said.
"I'm not satisfied and this is why I work so hard in training to get better". Ibrahimovic is the son of a Croatian mother and a Bosnian father who emigrated to the Swedish city of Malmo before he was born.
He started his top-flight career with his home town club in 1999. In 2001 he moved to Ajax of Amsterdam, where he stayed for three seasons.
Before his move to Juve, he was best known in Italy for an amazing back-heeled goal that secured Sweden a draw against the Azzurri in Euro 2004.
A childhood Inter fan, when arriving in Milan he made bold predictions about his spell at the club. "I am a winner, I always have been and I will continue to be one with Inter," he said.
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