Ancelotti to Ibra: You promised me 20 goals but you only have 18!

Dec 27, 2012 10:40:00 AM

After the 3-0 win over Brest, the trainer jokingly reprimanded the big Swede for falling short of the target he set for himself at the beginning of the season

Paris Saint-Germain coach Carlo Ancelotti has humorously criticised Zlatan Ibrahimovic for not fulfilling his promise of netting 20 goals in the first half of the Ligue 1 season.

The Sweden star recorded his 18th strike of the campaign in the 3-1 victory Brest to cement his position as the most prolific striker in the French elite division so far in the current campaign, and his trainer revealed that the forward had set the bar even higher.

"Friday night in Brest, I was angry with Zlatan," jovially said Ancelotti as quoted by Corriere dello Sport.

"I went to him in the dressing room and said: 'Ibra, you promised me you would have scored 20 goals, but you are still at 18!'

"Then he said: 'Thank you boss, I'm happy when I wind you up.'

"He's an animal. His desire to win is a desire that is never quenched. I've known many forwards for whom the win was only important when they scored. But not Zlatan."

Ancelotti then went on to discuss the club's transfer plans in January, and stressed he would not be making any approaches for Daniele De Rossi or Wesley Sneijder.

"He [De Rossi] will not come to Paris," he said. "If I have to make a prediction, I will say he will remain in Rome because that is his home.

"Not even he [Sneijder] will be in Paris, unless he's on vacation. Sneijder, when fit, is a great player, but we have many with similar characteristics to his."

Les Parisiens have enjoyed a strong end to the calendar year, as they sit joint top of Ligue 1 and have a Champions League last 16 tie with Valenica to come.

Ancelotti had been under pressure earlier on in the campaign, but he believes he can steer the club to a successful 2013, and insists he is not concerned with rumours that he may be replaced by Jose Mourinho.

"I lost the championship in the spring, but now I'm back on top of the league and in the Champions League.

"In terms of work it has been a good year. Mourinho does not concern me. It is not my problem."

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