‘Never suffered so much’ – Zlatan Ibrahimovic opens up on injury hell and admits he played ‘without an ACL for 6 months’

AC MILAN striker Zlatan Ibrahimovich has opened up on his injury hell that has seen him play "without an ACL" for the last six months.

The 40-year-old underwent surgery on his left knee immediately after helping AC Milan lift the Serie A title.

And in an emotional Instagram post, Ibrahimovic has detailed just what life has been like for him in the second half of the season.

In six months the former Manchester United forward revealed he has only managed to train with his team-mates a handful of times, and has relied on injections keeping him able to play.

Ibrahimovic wrote: "For the past six months I played without an ACL in my left knee. Swollen knee for six months.

"I was only able to train with the team 10 times in the last six months.

"Took more than 20 injections in six months. Emptied the knee once a week for six months.

"Painkillers every day for six months. Barely slept for six months because of the pain."

Ibrahimovic now faces up to eight months out of action after undergoing surgery, and could even be forced to retire.

But he battled through the pain in order to help deliver AC Milan a first Scudetto since 2011.

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Ibra added in his post: "Never suffered so much on and off the pitch. I made something impossible to something possible.

"In my mind I had only one objective, to make my teammates and coach champions of Italy because I made them a promise.

"Today I have a new ACL and another trophy."

The Swede went under the knife in France soon after lifting the title, with the club claiming the op was a success.

Ibrahimovic made 23 appearances in AC Milan's title-winning campaign, mostly from the bench.

His contract with the club expires this summer.