AC Milan have gone from strength to strength since Zlatan Ibrahimovic joined a year ago and boss Stefano Pioli has captured the striker’s victory.
Zlatan Ibrahimovic joined AC Milan last year “as a diet” that helped transform the club, according to head coach Stefano Pioli.
The Swedish international returned to San Siro for a second permanent spell with the Italian giants about a year ago, making his second debut as a substitute against Sampdoria on 6 January.
He has been in emotional form ever since, scoring 20 and assisting six goals in 24 Serie A games in 2020, a solo bet by Ciro Immobile (34 goal goals in 33 games) and Cristiano Ronaldo (38 in 29).
Ibrahimovic’s draw includes a return of 10 goals in six league games in the first half of this season, two of those strikes coming in Milan’s 3-1 win over Napoli in the November before he retired his injury which has since been kept away.
That double saw him match Gunnar Nordahl for the Serie A goals in second place from the first eight games played in a season, behind just Marco van Basten (12 in 1992-93).
Ibrahimovic is also the oldest player to score at least 10 goals in the first eight Serie A games, and Pioli has dominated the former player over the past 12 months.
“When he arrived, we knew it was a fine time, it was a diet, it brought a shock and energy that the team didn’t have at the time,” Pioli said at a press conference looking on Sunday trip to Benevento.
“The January transfer market has given us a hand in the past. But let’s think about the game against Benevento.”
In addition to battling niggling casualties, Ibrahimovic has also cast a spell on the sidelines this term with coronavirus.
Milan have been very successful in the absence of the 39-year-old, however, winning six and drawing two of the eight Serie A games he lost for a 75 per cent win rate, compared to 66.7% over the six games he started.
But while Pioli is unwilling to rip Ibrahimovic ‘s return, he is clearly keen to get one of his key players back on the field.
“He can’t wait to get back, but we have to be careful,” he said. “I hope he can come back as soon as possible.”
Another key player for Milan’s Serie A table-toppers this season has been full-back Theo Hernandez, who has conceded three goals and assisted in all three rounds. gone.
Hernandez was directly involved in 11 goals in the league – six scored and five with support – in 2020 and completed the most successful dribles in the tournament (57).
That includes a final gasp winner against Lazio last time out, although Pioli will see the former Real Madrid man get better with time.
“He has played for him [Real] Madrid and has incredible potential, “Pioli said.” With work, it grows day by day, proving that it is at a high level.
“But it can still improve at every stage of the game.”