Jose Mourinho didn’t try to paper over the cracks that have developed at Manchester United as a result of a growing injury list.Zlatan Ibrahimovic might have played his final game for the club, with the Daily Record’s Duncan Castles reporting that the Swede could be out until 2018 after rupturing his anterior and posterior crucial ligaments against Anderlecht on Thursday.It’s not just Ibra who suffered a serious injury in United’s Europa League win. Castles reports that Marcus Rojo might not play again until September after he tore his ACL in the first half."We are in trouble," Mourinho said, per Sky Sports. "We are in trouble. In this moment, Eric Bailly played six matches in a row, and we lost Marcos Rojo, we don't have Jones or Smalling, we are in trouble and now we lose Zlatan too."But in attack, we have options and [Wayne] Rooney is coming, and let's see if Mata can also return before the end of the season, let's see what happens."
Ibra's United career could be over
Marcus Rashford’s recent run of good form will soften the blow that comes with Ibrahimovic’s season-ending injury but it’s still a huge disappointment. The 35-year-old isn’t under contract next season and it wouldn’t be a surprise if United decided against renewing his deal, considering the severity of his injury.
It would mark a sorry end to what has been an enjoyable run. Nobody expected Ibrahimovic to be as successful in the Premier League as he has been, scoring 28 goals in all competitions this season and helping United reach the semi-finals of the Europa League.
Nine to 12 months out
It looked bad the moment Ibrahimovic suffered the injury to his right knee. He landed awkwardly following an aerial challenge and Castles reports that he now faces nine to 12 months on the sidelines.
AC Milan's tribute
Manchester United fans were quick to express their support towards Zlatan on social media. One of the nicest tributes against came from one of Ibrahimovic’s former clubs, with AC Milan dedicating a tweet to the striker.
“Once a fighter, always a fighter! Get well and come back soon, @Ibra_offical!,” read the tweet from Milan’s official Twitter account.
They added an image of Ibrahimovic celebrating a goal in a Milan derby. Check out the post below.
Inter Milan also sent a tweet
Not to be outdone by their rivals, Inter Milan posted their own tribute.