Zlatan Ibrahimovic will become the first player since Jean-Pierre Papin to score at least 30 goals in a French league season, the former France striker predicted on Tuesday.
Sweden's Ibrahimovic, who joined Paris St Germain from AC Milan during the close season, has already netted seven goals in the opening six rounds of matches and is on course to break the 30-goal barrier Papin was the last to reach in 1990.
"He is impressive. I think he will beat my record of 30 goals in one season," Papin, who reached the tally when playing for Olympique Marseille, told French daily Le Parisien.
Papin, who scored 30 goals in 54 caps with France, believes however that Ibrahimovic will fall short of the French professional-era record of Josip Skoblar, who netted 44 goals in the 1970/71 season for Marseille.
Ibrahimovic scored two goals and laid on another as Paris St Germain outclassed promoted Bastia 4-0 to climb to third in Ligue 1 on Saturday.
The former Milan forward, three clear at the top of the league scorers chart with seven goals, set up Jeremy Menez for PSG's opener in the sixth minute before making it 2-0 for the visitors from close range five minutes before the break.
The Sweden striker, who has scored in all bar one of the PSG games he has played this season, was also on target in the 90th minute after Blaise Matuidi had netted the third midway through the second half.
"When the team does well, I do well," Ibrahimovic told the Canal+ television channel.
Photo: Paris St Germain's Zlatan Ibrahimovic reacts during his team's Champions League match against Dynamo Kiev at the Parc des Princes stadium in Paris. (REUTERS/Charles Platiau)
