Sacchi: Ibrahimovic needs help from his team-mates

12-Feb-2013 8:10:00 PM

The ex-Real Madrid director of football believes the other Paris Saint-Germain players need to stand up and be counted if Carlo Ancelotti's team are to progress in Europe

Former AC Milan coach Arrigo Sacchi believes Zlatan Ibrahimovic will need his Paris Saint-Germain team-mates to step up if the French club are to succeed in the knockout stages of the Champions League.

The Ligue 1 leaders travel to Spain to take on Valencia on Tuesday night, and Sacchi thinks as the stakes become higher the striker can sometimes fade and the rest of the team will need to make their mark if they are to progress.

"As the level rises, the difficulties increase, and it is clear that he needs help from his team-mates," he told France Football.

"Individually, Ibrahimovic's talent is not open for discussion. He is not as good as some of the players I have worked with, and I have had a lot of champions. This should only seek to improve the synergy with his team-mates."

Ibrahimovic is Les Parisiens' top goalscorer in 2012-13 and has been earmarked as a key figure in the last 16 encounter.