Former Manchester City and current Real Salt Lake defender Nedum
Onuoha says that LA Galaxy striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic threatened him
during the Galaxy's 2-1 win on Sunday in which the former Sweden
international scored the winning goal.
The pair came together in the 60th minute when Ibrahimovic was booked for hauling the former England U21 to the ground away from the ball. Shortly afterwards, Ibrahimovic challenged Onuoha again.
"This time he hit me on top of head," Onuoha told BBC Sport. "I was again thinking: 'What is going on here?' He kept saying: 'You know what? I am going to hurt you. I am going to do you. You just watch, there is enough time, I am going to do you.'"
Following his 78th-minute winner, Ibrahimovic celebrated in Onuoha's face.
For his part, Ibrahimovic categorized their altercation as innocuous.
"I like to feel alive," the 37-year-old former Manchester United and BarceIona striker said after the match. "I like when it becomes duels and that, because sometimes - not that I fall asleep - but I don't feel alive if they don't actually activate me. When I get angry, I feel good."
Onuoha, 32, later rejected Ibrahimovic's apology when he entered the Real locker room after the game.
"He started coming towards me and said, 'Have you calmed down, big man?' " Onuoha said. "The amount of disrespect he showed me on the field - I want to let things go, but I can't let them go, especially when it is so raw. The way he came in was almost arrogant in itself, trying to be all friendly. But this is the guy who fouled me on the field, tried to embarrass me when they scored, then he comes in to try and allegedly apologize. I do not think he is a good person, so I am not going to offer my hand and, in no uncertain terms, I told him to get out."
The two clubs will meet again on Sept. 25.
The pair came together in the 60th minute when Ibrahimovic was booked for hauling the former England U21 to the ground away from the ball. Shortly afterwards, Ibrahimovic challenged Onuoha again.
"This time he hit me on top of head," Onuoha told BBC Sport. "I was again thinking: 'What is going on here?' He kept saying: 'You know what? I am going to hurt you. I am going to do you. You just watch, there is enough time, I am going to do you.'"
Following his 78th-minute winner, Ibrahimovic celebrated in Onuoha's face.
For his part, Ibrahimovic categorized their altercation as innocuous.
"I like to feel alive," the 37-year-old former Manchester United and BarceIona striker said after the match. "I like when it becomes duels and that, because sometimes - not that I fall asleep - but I don't feel alive if they don't actually activate me. When I get angry, I feel good."
Onuoha, 32, later rejected Ibrahimovic's apology when he entered the Real locker room after the game.
"He started coming towards me and said, 'Have you calmed down, big man?' " Onuoha said. "The amount of disrespect he showed me on the field - I want to let things go, but I can't let them go, especially when it is so raw. The way he came in was almost arrogant in itself, trying to be all friendly. But this is the guy who fouled me on the field, tried to embarrass me when they scored, then he comes in to try and allegedly apologize. I do not think he is a good person, so I am not going to offer my hand and, in no uncertain terms, I told him to get out."
The two clubs will meet again on Sept. 25.
No comments:
Post a Comment