AMSTERDAM — AC Milan star Zlatan Ibrahimovic has added details to the story of a November 2010 bust-up with then-teammate Oguchi Onyewu, claiming the two "almost killed each other."
The 30-year-old Sweden forward covers the tale of his tussle with Onyewu in his autobiography, I Am Zlatan, due out next week.
According an excerpt from the book released to media on Tuesday, the mercurial striker's harsh challenge on the US international — then fighting his way back from a knee injury — set off a real scuffle at Milan training. Ibrahimovic, a Taekwondo black belt who suffered a broken rib in the scrap, says it took 10 teammates and coaches to separate the two from throwing punches.
At the time, Milan exec Adriano Galliani quickly moved to head off any great fuss, painting it as a sign of competitive fire in the side.
"The fight was animated, but the incident is over," he stated on the club website. "The two players cleared up their disagreement. ... I'm happier seeing fiery training sessions than boring ones."
Onyewu subsequently spent the back half of last season on loan to Eredivisie runners-up FC Twente before joining Portuguese powers Sporting CP this past summer. Zlatan, of course, remains with the Rossoneri, having celebrated a Serie A crown last season.
The pair have never squared off in club competition, but Onyewu and Ibrahimovic did lock horns for 66 minutes when the USMNT dropped a 1-0 friendly decision at Sweden in August of 2007.
