ljungberg & mellberg fight
*laughs* Oh, dear. Apparently Olof Mellberg and Fredrik Ljungberg are at it again. The Swedish papers quickly picked up on a supposed "fight in the locker rooms" after the 0-0 match against Trinidad and Tobago this Saturday. Then, the football blog baraben.com ("barelegs.com") revealed the details, quoting a source within the team. Freddie was forced to explain at a press conference earlier today. "Nice little scoop, huh?" he grinned, and proceeded to confirm that, yes, they had had a "heated argument".
Both our leading tabloids recounted the story off baraben.com today and I just had to translate. It reads so much like a trashy slash novella, it's ridiculous.
'Aftonbladet''s story:
"Team captain Olof Mellberg is said to have been one of the last into the locker room (second last, or third) and to have been confronted by an already ongoing discussion between Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Fredrik Ljungberg. The star duo expressed discontent about "some tactical decisions made by Lars Lagerbäck".
At this, Mellberg - at the precise moment when he's watching Ljungberg, walking by him to the right in the locker room - is to have said:
-"This isn't about tactics, we didn't score because we lacked creativity."
The comment reportedly caused Ljungberg to react. The Arsenal star "gets up" and "hisses":
"Yeah, well, so what the hell are you trying to imply? Maybe you ought to focus on you own game and just keep the ball by the wings and not go with one of your 'balloons'!"
At this Zlatan Ibrahimovic is to have placed himself strategically between the two players, and according to the football blog he says something along the lines of "This is a team we're supposed to beat". By this time Ljungberg and Mellberg are up close arguing, though not close enough to get physical.
"You don't have to defend something that is actually shitty", Ljungberg supposedly screams, at which point Mellberg leans over, close to Ljungberg's face, and retorts:
"You are required to take the chances you get, and you ought to know your place in this team"
The entire dispute lasted about 6-7 seconds.
After this Tobias Linderoth and Marcus Allbäck - the two players following the situation closely - are to have taken a couple of steps towards the other players, at which Zlatan Ibrahimovic reportedly points at Linderoth and says "You, don't even start."
Marcus Allbäck then takes the initiative, calmly pulling Ljungberg some distance away, towards the bench by the wall. Mellberg looks at Zlatan, as Ibrahimovic slowly retires to the other side of the locker room, "staring" at Linderoth.
'Expressen's story reads much the same, except the ending;
"When things have gotten to this point, Tobias Linderoth and Marcus Allbäck are involved as well, according to baraben.com.
'You, don't even start', Zlatan reportedly says to Linderoth, while Allbäck pushes Ljungberg up against the wall."
^_^ Loves it.
Un-apologetic!Ljungberg at the press conference.