PSG advances in Ibrahimovic's homecoming: 'I lived a dream tonight'

Zlatan Ibrahimovic came back to Malmo with his world-class teammates, with 27 club trophies to his name, with all the media trained on him. He returned as a success story from a neighbourhood where many immigrants look for just that. And he showed the quality he always had, from the playgrounds in Rosengard to the pitch in Paris, scoring one of PSG's five goals in a 5-0 rout in the Champions League on Wednesday.

He didn't celebrate too hard, choosing to quietly congratulate his teammates afterwards. But this was a celebration of his career, a day months in the making, ever since the Champions League draw in August. He booked out the main square in Malmo for viewing, and he was convinced his city could fill the Colosseum if they had such a venue.

When he came off the pitch in the 85th minute, all three points and his team's qualification to the round of 16 wrapped up, the crowd gave him a deserved standing ovation. It was as much for his performance in the match as it was for the way he's represented himself, and Malmo, through and through.

Angel Di Maria was the best man on the pitch - the Argentine had two goals - but the night belonged to Ibrahimovic.

"I lived a dream tonight, coming back. On top of that I scored one. I'm very happy," Ibrahimovic said after the match. "Since the beginning, there's a great relationship between Malmo's fans and me.

"It was a great moment for me and my family. This is where everything started," Ibrahimovic added. "I got goose bumps. It felt like I was home."

PSG manager Laurent Blanc made Ibrahimovic the captain for the night, at the behest of defender Thiago Silva, who usually wears the armband, and Thiago Motta.

It was an appropriate gesture. The build-up to this match was all about the 34-year-old Swede, with the tallest building in Malmo lit up in a blue Z, and local reporters reminiscing about his days with the club before leaving for Ajax - and starting his European journey - in 2001.

Fans gathered in the city centre, Stortorget, where musical performances preceded the game. It was a festival, even if the following 90 minutes would officially eliminate the home side from progressing any further in the competition.

(Courtesy: Champions League)

Malmo didn't exactly roll over. It pushed forward on the counter, and could have nicked a goal if captain Markus Rosenberg hadn't missed a penalty in the second half.

But PSG had set the tone early. Midfielder Adrien Rabiot, deputising for the injured Marco Verratti, dispatched his first Champions League goal just three minutes in. Di Maria extended the lead 11 minutes later.

After the half came Ibrahimovic's moment. He ran behind the defenders, and drifted into the box, before slotting a shot up and over goalkeeper Johan Wiland.

Di Maria then added another, and substitute Lucas Moura capped the win with a fantastic free-kick towards the end.