/ Ben Lyttleton / 30 March 2010 / 1

Ibrahimovic is back on the scoring trail for Barcelona and that's ominous for Arsenal, says Ben Lyttleton

Teams in Champions League action historically drop points on the weekend before big European games, often because they rest their most important players, and so it proved in the cases of Bayern Munich, Arsenal and Internazionale this week. Bordeaux also lost their French League Cup final to Marseille, after coach Laurent Blanc prioritised the European tie against Lyon.

Manchester United, on the other hand, coped without Wayne Rooney and Barcelona left Lionel Messi and Xavi Hernandez on their bench at Mallorca as well. For Barcelona, this was something of a risk: after all, Messi had recently scored back-to-back hat-tricks in the midst of a run of nine goals in which he was the only Barcelona scorer. That sequence ended against Real Zaragoza when he won a penalty and allowed his strike-partner Zlatan Ibrahimovic, with only one goal in his last 11 league games, to take it.

Zlatan scored and he has not stopped since: he bagged the opener in Barcelona's 2-0 win at Osasuna last week and scored the only goal of the game in Saturday's 1-0 win at Mallorca, who had won 12 of their previous 13 matches at home. There was even time for a trick after that: Zlatan 'reverse-chesting' a cross down with his back for Messi to have a shot tipped over the bar.

His total for the season now stands at 17 in 32 games, which is not too shabby even if it pales into comparison with Messi (34 in 40).

Significantly, though, Zlatan has scored Barcelona's two most important goals this season: his equaliser against Stuttgart in the Round of 16 first leg (which was his first goal in 15 Champions League knock-out matches) and the winner in el classico against Real Madrid which gives Barcelona a vital advantage in the title race. Barcelona are ([1.92]) for La Liga with Real Madrid ([2.04]).

"He is very good on the ball, and able to impose his impressive physique, but we also know that he can win the ball in the air, that he can hold onto the ball and that he can buy us time," said Messi. "Barcelona haven¹t had a player like him for a very long time."

The idea to sign Zlatan came after Barcelona had struggled to break down Chelsea in last year's Champions League semi-final, and early on this season, the two seemed a perfect fit. Zlatan scored 11 in his first 13, including the crucial first goal in six matches. But as Messi's influence grew, culminating in this month's heroics, so Zlatan's dipped.

He also had to deal with his outspoken agent, Mino Raiola, suggesting he was being ignored by his team-mates and might look to move on this summer.

"Zlatan is the best player in the world, and even when he doesn't play like it, he makes a lot of passes, unlike others in the team who only score goals and never pass," he said.

"Right now Zlatan wants to be in Barcelona, but if he wants to go somewhere else in the summer then he can tell me and we can work on it."

Barcelona coach Pep Guardiola was understandably furious and said it was a player's responsibility to control his agent, but Zlatan disagreed. "I'll stand by what I say and he can stand by what he says. Am I his dad or something?"

That belligerent attitude is what attracted Arsenal coach Arsene Wenger to Zlatan when he was 17 and still at Malmo. He did not have a trial with Barcelona's European opponents Arsenal ­ the player said, "I don't do trials, I went because he knew who I was" ­ but the pair met and Wenger gave him an Arsenal shirt with Ibrahimovic and No 9 on the back. Wenger asked Zlatan if he was afraid of anything, and got the reply, "No. Only God."

The Barcelona technical staff had been concerned that Zlatan wants to out-do Messi and only score spectacular goals. Yet he remains a popular figure in the dressing-room and Guardiola continues to talk him up in press briefings.

"The chances are there, the movement is there, he helps us with aerial balls and keeping the ball and he is an important part of the team," he said.

Much of the focus this week will be on how Arsenal stops Messi, but the danger is that they double up on the Argentine and allow crosses for Zlatan to take advantage. Barcelona are ([2.4]) to win at the Emirates and ([1.41]) to reach the semi-finals. You can't help thinking that Zlatan's return to form has come just at the right time for the European champions, who now have more options with which to hurt their opponents. This is their chance to prove they are not as Messi-dependent as people think.

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1. des | 30 March 2010

   Admit it Barcelona you made a big freaking mistake to trade Eto'o who has been nothing but awesome to the club. Zaltan was a mistake. He is a good player but cannot fit the Barcelona futbol philosophy. You don't believe me, then watch Inter in UEFA this season.

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