In Focus: Why Zlatan is more important to Milan than ever

Zlatan Ibrahimovic has missed 10 games for AC Milan since mid-February — and those absences cost the Rossoneri dear as rivals Inter Milan wrapped up the Serie A title.

Ibrahimovic's 10 league goals before Christmas helped ensure Milan had their fans dreaming of a first Scudetto in a decade.

So it came as little surprise when the former Manchester United and Barcelona forward inked a 12-month contract extension, which will take him past his 40th birthday.

Ahead of Milan’s crucial Champions League clash with Juventus tonight, a game you can watch for FREE on the LiveScore app, we look at why Ibra remains so important to Stefano Pioli’s side.

A big miss

It is telling that with Ibrahimovic missing a large chunk of 2021 due to a combination of injury and coronavirus, no one has stepped up for Milan.

Since February 13, Pioli’s side have won just six of 13 games, tumbling from the summit to fifth.

In that time, Hakan Calhanoglu is Milan’s top scorer from open play with just three goals. Ante Rebic is the only other player to have found the back of the net more than once from open play.

Penalty-box poacher

While Ibrahimovic’s total of 15 Serie A strikes this season is enhanced by three penalties — he has also missed one and seen two saved — the veteran forward’s non-penalty expected goal total is 12.1, meaning he is bang on track.

Of the Swede’s 47.45 touches per 90 minutes, an average of 9.11 have come inside the opposition’s penalty area. That is more than any other player in Serie A.

It would be churlish to label a serial winner with 502 career goals to his name a goalhanger — but it is not by accident.

Ibrahimovic is at his most dangerous in the 18-yard box, so he conserves his energy by doing the bulk of his work there.

Changing style

This is clearly by design, as Ibrahimovic acknowledged when talking about his continued excellence earlier this season.

He said: "I have a lot of experience, goals have never been an issue, I just keep going.

"I'm not the same player I was five years ago, I'm not the same player I was 10 years ago, we all change because of the development in your physical point of view.

"I'm honest in saying that I'm not running like I ran before — I'm running more intelligently now.

"The Italian league, the reason I say that it's the most difficult to play in for a striker is because it's very technical and the philosophy of Italy is to not to concede a goal rather than score a goal."

Head master

Spectacular goals have long been part of Ibrahimovic’s repertoire, with the 6ft 5in hitman never needing an excuse to display his remarkable agility or razor-sharp reactions.

While there have yet to be any gravity-defying goals to add to his highlights reel this term, Ibrahimovic has bagged three headed goals — the fourth most in Serie A.

Milan play to their No11’s strengths. They rank third in Italy’s top flight for completed crosses with 4.82 per 90 minutes.

Their squad also includes the second-most reliable crosser in the league, Turkish playmaker Calhanoglu, who has completed 2.68 crosses per 90 — putting him behind only Torino winger Simone Verdi (2.71).

The future

The good news for Milan — and bad news for Serie A defenders — is Ibrahimovic shows little sign of slowing, with his diet and exercise regime maintaining his pliability.

The Swede’s agent Mino Raiola has confidently predicted his client can play for another decade.

He said: "Zlatan is in such good shape, sometimes he continues to do press-ups when I am sitting on him. And you know I am not light.

"He can play on until he’s 50 but he only wants to play at the top level."

As the self-proclaimed Benjamin Button of football, who would bet against Ibrahimovic doing just that?

Watch Juventus vs AC Milan live for FREE on the LiveScore app at 7.45pm (UK and Ireland only).