Lagerback keeps mum over Ibrahimovic

Sweden coach Lars Lagerback refused to confirm or deny on Tuesday whether star striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic would play in their crucial Euro 2008 Group D clash with Russia on Wednesday.

The 59-year-old coach simply indicated there was a similar situation with Ibrahimovic and his longstanding left knee problem as there had been before the previous two matches, a 2-0 win over Greece and a 2-1 defeat by Spain, both of which saw the Inter Milan striker score.

However, he failed to last the whole 90 minutes in either, and was withdrawn at half-time of the Spanish encounter – though the Swedes insisted it was just a precautionary measure.

“We are in the same situation as before the previous two matches,” commented Lagerback on Tuesday.

Ibrahimovic has been suffering from the left knee injury for some time, missing several weeks at the end of the Serie A season before returning to score two goals in the defeat of Parma in the final match of the season to seal the title for Inter.

He has been undergoing daily treatments of acupuncture and ultrasound therapy.

Sweden need just a draw, while Russia need to win to finish second and a date with Group C winners Holland in Saturday's quarter-final in Basel, Switzerland.