Schmeichel: Onus on Ibrahimovic´s team-mates

Peter Schmeichel said Sweden’s Zlatan Ibrahimovic should be given preferential treatment, ahead of their Euro 2012 opener with Ukraine.

The Manchester United legend feels that Erik Hamren’s side should base their game around the enigmatic striker.

“Is Sweden a better team without Zlatan? No team is better without Zlatan,” Schmeichel told Expressen.

“He is one of the world’s best players.

“It is not him who should adapt to the other Swedes, it is the others who should adapt to him. His team-mates have all got that responsibility. He gets frustrated out there because no one else understands what he does, how he thinks.”

Schmeichel added they will benefit if Hamsen adopts a similar approach to handling the 30-year-old as Sir Alex Ferguson did for Eric Cantona during his time at Old Trafford.

“Cantona was an example. Alex Ferguson treats all his players differently,” he said.

“Someone will have two months off, another two minutes off. You need to have different personalities in a football team, and Zlatan is a player who can create anything from nothing.

“Rather than stifle his ego you should encourage it. If you encourage his ego, he will give you even more back. I know from personal experience from my years at Manchester United.”

Sweden take on Ukraine on Monday.