Bojan Krkic hails praise on former Barcelona striker: “He’s a phenomenon, an example”

It’s a known fact that Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s shortest tenure of his footballing career came with Barcelona. Arriving amidst massive fanfare from Inter, the now-40-year-old striker had big shoes to fill since Samuel Eto’o was moving the other.

Six months into his life in Barcelona, his relationship with Pep Guardiola deteriorated to an extent that the two didn’t even speak. The dressing room environment was tensed and after a solitary season, the big Swede was loaned out to Milan before making his deal permanent.

In his only season, however, Ibrahimovic won an impressive four titles.

It’s been almost 13 years since he switched alliance from San Siro to Camp Nou, and it’s safe to say no one among the Barcelona faithful would ever want to remember that tenure. Except for a certain Bojan Krkic.

Speaking in an exclusive chat with La Gazzetta dello Sport, Bojan raked up the old wounds by explaining how influential Ibrahimovic was in his career.

Bojan, who made his Barcelona debut at 17 years and 19 days, pointed out that despite the ill relationship between Guardiola and the striker, ‘no one can speak ill of Ibra’.

“I hope he continues for a couple more seasons, he’s a phenomenon. When I think of him, the speech he gave me when he just arrived in Barcelona comes to mind,” he was quoted as saying.

He also mentioned how Ibrahimovic helped him during his initial days at the club.

“I was twenty years old, he was already Zlatan. He didn’t know me, so he called me to the dressing room, next to him, and he started to give me confidence. ‘Don’t worry, I’m here’.

“No one can speak ill of Ibra. I think he didn’t have due respect that year, also because he scored decisive goals everywhere. When it came to pushing, he was tough, yes, but the heart was never lacking. He was and will always be an example,” he concluded.