AC Milan’s Zlatan Ibrahimovic puffs a cigar as he celebrates after winning the Italian Serie A title at the end of a match against Sassuolo, at the Citta del Tricolore stadium, in Reggio Emilia, Italy, Sunday, May 22, 2022. (AP Photo/Antonio Calanni)
AC Milan forward Zlatan Ibrahimović had surgery on his left knee on Wednesday and faces up to eight months on the sidelines — if he decides to continue his playing career.
Ibrahimović missed large portions of Milan’s title-winning campaign with injury. The 40-year-old Swede made 23 appearances in Serie A, although most of them were off the bench.
Milan said the knee operation, which was performed in France, had been scheduled for a while “to definitively resolve the joint’s instability.”
The club added: “The operation was a complete success and the prognosis is estimated between seven and eight months.”
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Ibrahimović will be 41 by then.
After Milan clinched its first Serie A title since 2011 on Sunday, Ibrahimović said he would only continue playing if he felt well and added that it had been a difficult few months for him.
His contract ends this year.
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Ibrahimovic’s return at the start of 2020 signaled a turnaround for Milan that saw the Rossoneri finish second last season and end their 11-year wait for the league title this season.
He also helped Milan to the last of its Serie A titles in his first spell at the club.
