Zlatan Ibrahimovic has branded his four-match ban as a "disgrace to football" after the Swede was filmed having a foul-mouthed rant about France.
The Paris Saint-Germain striker was caught on camera describing France as a "shit country" while also insulting referee Lionel Jaffredo by calling him an "arsehole", after the French champions' 3-2 loss to Bordeaux earlier this month.
Despite apologising for his language and the subsequent rant, Ibrahimovic now serves a four-match suspension meaning that he will play only three of the last seven Ligue 1 games of the season.
"I was pleased as this proves what I have been saying. Now people can see for themselves, with their own eyes, instead of me just saying it," Ibrahimovic said, according to Goal.com.
"The whole situation has become a farce - it's ridiculous and unprofessional, a disgrace to football. I would have been even happier if they had suspended me for the rest of the season so I could have gone on holiday already.
"There are no grounds for this ban. My words are not aimed at the referee. We had a normal conversation and he has confirmed this. If my words had been aimed at the ref I would have apologised when it happened."
Ibrahimovic is still eligible to play Bastia in this weekend's Coupe de le Ligue final, but will not feature in another domestic match until May 9.
Sam McEvoy
