Since taking on the challenging job in Milan in October 2019 life has been smiling for Stefano Fioli in a way he probably could not have imagined. The coach who coached 12 different teams throughout his career, and never recorded an outstanding achievement in a senior team, was marked for a long time as a temporary appointment, as a band-aid, after replacing Marco Giampaolo and finding himself in a luxury club experiencing crisis after crisis, at the end of a decade. Especially with one championship (somewhere in 2011) and a seven-year absence from the Champions League.
At the start of the previous civil year, Fioli’s Milanese Empire slipped to just 11th place in Serie A. The Rossoneri won just one of the bald coach’s first six games, suffering their biggest defeat since 2001 with a particularly humiliating 5: 0 to Atlanta. Then on Christmas Eve Santa Claus appeared in the form of savior Zlatan Ibrahimovic for a second term and contrary to earlier predictions and after a forced Corona break, AC Milan led by the Swedish senior set out for a run of 9 wins in 12 games.
Last July, after the 1-2 draw at Sesotho in which they secured a ticket to the Europa League, Milan announced the extension of Fioli’s contract for another two years. All this despite having already agreed with Ralph Rangnik, a former Leipzig coach and one of the most esteemed football minds in Western Europe. Rumors of the German’s arrival at the fashion capital had appeared long weeks earlier and yet that did not stop Pioli from leading a great streak of results and causing AC Milan chiefs to change their minds at the last minute and put all the eggs in the existing basket, thinking Pioli is the one able to heal all club wounds In recent years.
“As I have said many times, the future is now. We must concentrate and continue to be determined. To be united and play as a team. We are at the beginning of a great path and if we continue this path, we will grow and become more competitive,” he said. Fioli In the announcement of his contract extension. It is doubtful whether even the optimistic Milan fans thought that almost half a year later, they would find themselves, under the same coach, in first place in Italy after a tremendous streak of 27 league games without a loss, with the last 17 teams from San Siro scoring at least two goals a game.
Of course, the lifeline in the person of Ibrahimovic is the main factor in Milan’s professional recovery. Since the Swedish giant landed again in Milan, he has scored 30 goals and 7 assists in 22 games, 10 just since the start of the season. The 39-year-old striker returned to Milan the great faith, infecting the young players with hunger and professionalism, in addition to his charisma and strong character. From the first moment Zlatan allowed, led, excited, cleared territories for others and made his friends better. But the question that remained open was, is not the dependence on it excessive?
The answer to this, to some extent, we get in recent weeks. After falling ill in Corona, Zlatan was injured during the month of November and in total managed to participate in six league games on 20/21. Still, the Rossoneri are doing well without him with five wins in the last seven games. This includes 0: 2 in 10 games against Benevento in the last round, which proved that this team is also built on character and not just youthful enthusiasm. “Milan’s strength stems from the collective effort, every player is willing to get his hands dirty. Milan may not be the best in the league, but they make up for it with respectful sacrifice,” he wrote. Matthew Stanglo From Italian football.
FStefano Pioli 🇮🇹 [AC Milan]: “I ask my players to do more, because what we did in 2020 no longer counts for nothing, we have not won anything. We have to be even more ambitious. In 2021 we will start again with great enthusiasm and confidence” #ACMilan #Milan pic.twitter.com/XBQBf5w0cT
– RouteOneFootball (@ Route1futbol) January 2, 2021
The main story in Milan, with the exception of Ibrahimovic’s comeback, lies in its wide roster steeped in restless youngsters. In the last league game, Simon Kier was the only representative in the squad to cross the 30s. In fact the average age of the squad, including Zlatan, stands at 23.6 years and is the youngest in the top five leagues. Rarely are they also the only ones who have not lost a league game since Corona. This incredible statistic only reinforces the magnitude of the achievement of Fioli and his trainees, in a league that has been dominated for nine years by Juventus’ inexhaustible experience and vitality.
Almost all of these young guys have made a leap forward this year. From the attacking defender in his side Hernandez (23) who mentions why Real Madrid acquired him three years ago, through the stability shown by Ismail Benasser (23) in his second season in midfield, the credit finally given to prodigy Sandro Tonali (20) to the important goals of Rafael Lau (21) ) The rising Brazilian talent, while Haken Chanullo (27) serves as the adult responsible for Zlatan’s absence at the front and finally mentions the potential that lies within him.
Following the journey of success, Fioli is faced with the constant question, is his team capable of winning the championship for the first time since 2011? “I keep saying that Juventus, Inter and Napoli are the strongest teams in Serie A and we need to continue on our way. We will wait to see if we are in this situation in April as well and then we will see where it goes,” the table leader coach said recently. Then we will be updated that Milan have already beaten Inter in the first derby, defeated Napoli 1: 3 in San Paulo and tonight (21:45) meet the champions Juventus who are 10 points away and a game is missing. If he wins it too, Fioli will no longer be able to evade statements.
