Barca leave out Ibra for opening Liga match

Barcelona have not called up Swedish striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic for their opening match of the league season Sunday at Racing Santander, amid media reports he is on his way to AC Milan.

Barca said in a statement that the 28-year-old had been left out for “technical reasons” but he had a difficult season last year after joining from Inter Milan with Samuel Eto’o going in the opposite direction to greater effect.

AS and Sport sports newspapers suggested Saturday that Ibrahimovic, under contract at the Nou Camp for another four years, might move to AC Milan on loan for this season prior to a move around 30 to 40 million euros.

Barca are looking to cut their losses after landing Spanish international and World Cup winner David Villa from Valencia.

Ibrahimovic recently said he did not have good relations with Barca coach Pep Guardiola, being quoted as saying that “he’s only spoken to me twice in the past six months. He doesn’t want me.”