Foto: MICKAEL CHAVET / SHUTTERSTOCK EDITORIAL/IBL
Eleda stadion.
Photo: PETTER ARVIDSON / BILDBYRÅN
The view of Zlatan Ibrahimovic is divided in and around Malmö FF. He is one of the best players to have been produced at the club, but his post-career choices have sparked anger.
Shortly after his statue was erected in Stadiontorget in October 2019, the former attacking star announced that he had become a part-owner of Hammarby and intended to help the club become the best in Scandinavia.
The statue was vandalized and at the same time voices were raised for the Zlatan log to be removed from the Eleda stadium. The issue was raised, among other things, at a member meeting in June 2020.
– It must remain until further notice. Then you have to make a decision about it going forward. These are operational issues for the management, said the club’s chairman Anders Pålsson at the time.
Now such a decision has been made – and carried out. The Zlatan log is gone.
– It is divided into three small lodges and thus it no longer exists, says Niclas Carlnén.
The Zlatan log was inaugurated in 2011
The standard boxes at the Eleda stadium have twelve seats, but in connection with a visit to Espanyol’s home ground in 2010, Malmö FF was inspired by the arena’s larger boxes which could accommodate up to 50 guests. The walls between three of the boxes at the Eleda stadium were therefore knocked out and the large box that was created was named after Zlatan Ibrahimovic. At the same time, a box was also built in Bosse Larsson’s honor and they were both inaugurated before the Supercup final in 2011. Since then, Markus Rosenberg’s box has also been added.
Now only the Rosenbergs and Larssons remain.
Earlier this year, the Zlatanlogen was restored to the original three small lodges that it was created from..
– We have done it because we have seen that the demand is so much greater for lodges for twelve people, says Carlnén.
Couldn’t one of the small lodges have kept Zlatan’s name?
– It is possible, but we do not have any names of any of the small lodges. They are only numbered.
No contact with Ibrahimovic
Have you had any communication with Zlatan about the log with his name having disappeared?
– No.
Will you have it?
– No.
Do you think he cares?
– No idea.
Does this have anything to do with the fact that Zlatan Ibrahimovic is in some ways no longer loved as much in all MFF circles?
– I maintain what I said earlier, that Zlatan is an important part of Malmö FF’s history. This change is happening because there is a different need for how lodges are used.
