Wesley Sneijder praises AC Milan's Zlatan Ibrahimovic
Inter Milan midfielder Wesley Sneijder has praised his former teammate Zlatan Ibrahimovic, adding that he was sad to see the Swedish striker depart Inter prior to his arrival last summer.
Ibrahimovic, who spent three seasons with Inter between 2006 and 2009, won three Serie A titles with the team before joining Barcelona in search of his first Champions League trophy.
In a cruel twist of fate for the Swede, Barcelona were knocked out of last year's Champions League by an Inter team for whom Sneijder starred throughout the tournament. The striker joined AC Milan on loan at the start of the current season after failing
to adjust at the Camp Nou.
"Ibrahimovic is one of the strongest strikers in the world. I remember when I was about to join Inter, but then he went to Barcelona and now Milan," Sneijder told Swedish daily Sportbladet ahead of the Euro 2012 qualifier between Sweden and the Netherlands
on Tuesday
The two players were teammates at Ajax Amsterdam between 2002 and 2004, and they could become neighbours in Milan, where they play for rival teams.
"Zlatan is a good person. Last week we met in Milan when he was trying to buy a house close to where I live. We may become neighbours. We talked about the match between Sweden and the Netherlands, as well as the Milan derby."
Wanted Ibrahimovic to stay at Inter
Sneijder, starred for Inter as Jose Mourinho's team won a historic treble last season, said that he regretted Ibrahimovic's departure from Inter last summer.
"I wanted Zlatan to stay at Inter. I wanted to support him, because according to him, with me the strikers play better. We started sending text messages, and he also spoke with [Inter president Massimo] Moratti, but when it seemed I would be coming he was
leaving for Barcelona."
After Tuesday's qualifier, the two players will face each other as Inter and Milan play a much-anticipated derby on 14 November.
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