Inter striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic will spend at least 10 days in his native Sweden trying to shrug off a persistent knee problem, the Serie A leaders said in a statement yesterday.

Ibrahimovic has missed the last three games because of the injury and will now skip Sunday's trip to Torino and the home game with Cagliari on April 27.

The striker, Inter's top scorer with 15 goals in the league this term, may also be doubtful for the derby with Milan on May 4.

"Zlatan Ibrahimovic trained in the gym this morning (yesterday)," an Inter statement said.

"As agreed with coach Roberto Mancini and the club, the striker will return tomorrow to Sweden, where he will spend at least 10 days following a specific training programme to make a complete recovery from his left knee problem."

Champions Inter are four points clear of second-placed Roma with five games left.

Inter also said that Portuguese midfielder Luis Figo sprained the medial calf muscle of his right leg in Wednesday's 0-0 home draw with Lazio in their Italian Cup semi-final first leg.

Figo, 35, is mulling whether to retire at the end of the season when his contract expires and the injury may mean he has played his last game.

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