AC Milan face Salernitana at the Stadio Arechi today hoping to give their fans an early Christmas present, and there are some obvious similarities with the same fixture last season.
As Corriere dello Sport (via MilanNews) writes this morning, it was January 4th and Milan were back on the pitch after the long and strange break for the World Cup in Qatar. The Rossoneri were guests of Salernitana and they moved to five points behind Napoli with a dominant performance.
It seemed like the prelude to a great 2023 and instead the month following that victory was one of the worst in the recent history of Milan, who then went on to experience a year in a swing of uncertainties.
Milan return to the Arechi in what will be the last away match of the calendar year after having started 2024 there, and the Rossoneri hope that it will be a match that marks a new start. Stefano Pioli’s team need consistency after recent wins against Newcastle and Monza, which have lifted spirits a bit.
Milan’s rebirth also depends on two people, one who determines matters on the pitch and another who has done so for years and who will now try from the stands: Rafael Leao and Zlatan Ibrahimovic.
In the last two days, the new Rossoneri Senior Advisor was seen again at Milanello to begin his new role. Pioli commented on the first steps of Zlatan ‘s new life: “I saw him motivated and curious, it’s the usual: he is approaching a different role. It is certainly an added value for me and for the club.”
It only remains to be understood how and how much the Swede’s experience will translate into an impact on the team. To begin with, Ibra left for Salerno with the group and this evening he will be in the stands for the first time as a manager.
The greatest hope is that he can make everyone feel a sense of responsibility and Leao above all, given Zlatan has already contributed to making him more mature a lot in recent years. The Portuguese is essential for Pioli’s team but he has not scored a goal in the league since 23 September.
