Ibrahimovic: Playing against Guardiola team gives me extra motivation

Manchester United star Zlatan Ibrahimovic admits he is extra motivated and gets adrenaline when facing former coach Pep Guardiola.

The duo were together at Barcelona for a season in 2009-10, before they fell out and Ibrahimovic made the move to AC Milan.

Ibrahimovic and Guardiola find themselves in the Premier League, the striker at United and the manager at Manchester rivals City.

The 35-year-old Ibrahimovic said taking on Guardiola’s teams gave him more inspiration, although he insisted it was nothing personal.

“When I play against his team, it’s something that motivates me, it gives me adrenaline,” he told Fox Sports Italia.

“It’s not personal what I have. It’s part of the game.”

Ibrahimovic and Guardiola won the LaLiga title in their season at Barca, the former scoring 16 league goals.

The Swede said his relationship with the former Bayern Munich coach changed quickly.

“First he called me every day to have me and from one day to the next I didn’t play anymore,” Ibrahimovic said.