LEAD: Ibrahimovic discloses rows at Barcelona in biography

Nov 3, 2011, 12:31 GMT

Stockholm - Swedish striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic mulled quitting football over frosty treatment from Barcelona coach Josep 'Pep' Guardiola, news reports said Thursday.

Ibrahimovic detailed how his relations with his former coach went from bad to worse and that he considered ending his career during the 2009 Christmas break, according to excerpts from an upcoming biography published by Stockholm tabloids Aftonbladet and Expressen.

One factor that contributed to the deterioration was when the Swede questioned the coach's decision to give Argentine forward Lionel Messi a more central position, resulting in a more confined role for Ibrahimovic.

Ibrahimovic said he raised this issue with the coach and felt they had a good discussion, but became frustrated when nothing happened.

Guardiola subsequently stopped talking to Ibrahimovic and even ignored looking at him, the Swede said according to the excerpt.

On May 1, 2010, the tensions came to a head. Ibrahimovic was allowed to play just a few minutes at the end of a Barca match against Villarreal.

In the changing room, the Swede 'exploded,' the excerpt said. He kicked a box where kit was stored and shouted at Guardiola 'you have no balls' and likely worse things, the player was quoted as saying.

Ibrahimovic left Barca after just one year, returning to Italy at AC Milan.

The player and coach apparently came off to a poor start. On arrival at the Spanish side in the summer of 2009 from Inter Milan, Ibrahimovic heard that the players were told to keep a low profile and not drive flashy cars to practices, for instance.

Ibrahimovic, who has also played at Juventus, Ajax Amsterdam and Malmo FF, felt restricted over the rules but tried to conform, which he failed to do.

The biography, titled I am Zlatan Ibrahimovic, was co-written with David Lagercrantz and due to be published November 15.