Zlatan Ibrahimovic: 'I like it on top. That's where I'll stay'
PSG striker claims his anti-French comments were blown out of proportion by those who want to 'pull me down'
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Your support makes all the difference.Paris St Germain striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic has claimed he has only love for his French footballing life, amid the fall-out from his outburst earlier this month.
Ibrahimovic will face a French Football League (LFP) disciplinary commission hearing on April 9 over comments he made after PSG's 3-2 loss to Bordeaux on March 15.
The Swede was at the time caught on camera saying: "He's an a******. Play 15 years, never seen referee this s*** country. Don't even deserve PSG should be in this country. F****** too good for all of you. Should be happy they exist."
French sports minister Patrick Kanner had called on Ibrahimovic to apologise, which he later did in a social media post, and the mercurial forward has once again played down the impact of his rant.
At a press conference ahead of Sweden's Euro 2016 qualifier against Moldova, Ibrahimovic, in quotes reported in the Swedish media, said: "I like it in France.
"I would not have played there for so long and I would not have renewed my contract if I did not like it. All the others, all that b******t, they just want to pull me down from the top but I will not go. I like it on top. That's where I'll stay."
Ibrahimovic does, however, want a greater emphasis placed on referees, adding: "We the players are punished, but not the referee."
While Ibrahimovic did score a hat-trick for PSG against Lorient in the last round of Ligue 1 fixtures before the international break, he is set to miss their Champions League quarter-final first leg against Barcelona after his sending off against Chelsea.
His tackle on Oscar earned him a straight red, though PSG did progress in the end, but Ibrahimovic feels the Brazilian had played his part in the referee's decision.
"Play-acting does not belong in my world and I play to win," Ibrahimovic said. "I will do anything to win, but play-acting? Not that.
"It is out there, I do not know if it has become part of the game, but I hope not."
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