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Rediff.com  » Sports » 'PSG will help Ibrahimovic forget about World Cup'
This article was first published 10 years ago

'PSG will help Ibrahimovic forget about World Cup'

November 22, 2013 08:02 IST

Image: Sweden's forward Zlatan Ibrahimovic takes off the captain's armband after losing their 2014 World Cup qualifying match to Portugal
Photographs: Erik Martensson/Reuters

Club success will help Zlatan Ibrahimovic overcome the disappointment of missing out on the World Cup, his Paris St Germain coach Laurent Blanc said on Thursday.

-France, Portugal, Croatia qualify for Rio World Cup after heroics

Ibrahimovic's Sweden team were beaten 4-2 on aggregate by Cristiano Ronaldo's Portugal in a playoff tie on Tuesday, meaning the striker only has club titles to fight for this season.

'PSG will help Ibrahimovic forget about World Cup'

Image: Zlatan Ibrahimovic of Sweden reacts
Photographs: Martin Rose/Getty Images

"His behaviour and his state of mind are good," Blanc told a news conference ahead of Saturday's trip to Stade Reims, where Ligue 1 leaders PSG will look to extend their unbeaten run in all competitions to 34 games.

"I found him well, I talked to him yesterday. He told me they were up against a very good Portugal team. Of course there is disappointment," the 1998 World Cup winner added.

'PSG will help Ibrahimovic forget about World Cup'

Image: Paris Saint-Germain coach Laurent Blanc attends a training session
Photographs: Antoine Antoniol/Getty Images

PSG, however, are the hot favourites to retain their Ligue 1 title as they lead second-placed Lille by four points after 13 games with third-placed Monaco five points off the pace.

They also look set to make it through the group phase of the Champions League and need only one point from their last two games to reach the last 16.

"We need to make sure we reach our club's objectives and he will be happy," said Blanc.

Source: REUTERS
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