Zlatan Ibrahimovic

Alex Song and Thomas Vermaelen intend to keep Zlatan Ibrahimovic, whose fans include manager Arsene Wenger, quiet

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Arsenal defenders Alex Song and Thomas Vermaelen are determined to keep AC Milan striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic quiet.

The Swedish international joined Milan on loan in 2010 from Barcelona and the deal was made permanent in 2011 and whilst with Milan the 30-year-old won the Scudetto after winning the La Liga title the previous year with Barcelona.

This season the Swede has scored 16 goals in 19 Serie A games and will be a key threat to the Gunners tonight.

“When we go on the pitch we always just want to do the job,” Song told Arsenal Player. “We can’t just try to focus on one player, we need to focus on their whole team and try to play how we want to play.

“I think if we manage it well we have an opportunity to do something there.

“I think it is a very important game for us, the Champions League is always something special to play in. We are going to come up against a very good team and we know that Milan have good players. They are a big club.

“But I think we are ready to play this game and we know how important it is. We just have to go there and try to get the result.”

Thomas Vermaelen has a good knowledge of what to expect of Ibrahimovic having played with him at Ajax.

“I played with him a lot of times when I was at Ajax,” said Vermaelen. “When I was playing regularly he had left already, but I had a lot of sessions with him when I was a young player.

“I know his qualities, like everybody does. I played against him a few times, like when he was at Barcelona, so I know he is a strong and technical player, one of their main players. It is up to us as defenders to keep him quiet.”

Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger rated Ibrahimovic so highly that he looked to sign him in 2001 and he remains a fan now.

“He is a great player for two reasons - he can score goals and give assists,” said Wenger.

“For me all the great strikers have this combination very well, and he is not only a goalscorer because he can provide as well.

“He is a guy who has fantastic body strength which he uses very well so he is difficult to play against, he protects the ball well with his back to goal and can use the players around him to support him.

“If you say he is criticised in Italy, I say you are a bit harsh in Italy.”