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Football

22nd Mar 2016

Zlatan Ibrahimovic skips opportunity to prepare for Ireland Euro 2016 match

Zlatan doesn't do friendlies

Robert Redmond

Jon Walters would never do this.

Zlatan Ibrahimovic has passed up the opportunity to play in Sweden’s friendly against Turkey.

Why? Because he’s Zlatan and he can.

Sweden are the Republic of Ireland’s first opponents at Euro 2016, on June 13 in Paris.

Thursday’s game in Antalya is the Scandinavian’s first warm-up game ahead of the big kick-off, before they play Czech Republic next Tuesday, Slovenia in May and Wales in June.

However, Paris-Saint Germain forward Zlatan has opted out of the first of his country’s pre-tournament friendlies, after being given the opportunity to do so by his manager.

“I offered him the chance to skip the match and he accepted,” Erik Hamren said on Monday.

“The reason is that I want to preserve his great form…I think this is for the best.”

If you want to give him June off too Erik, that’d be great.

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