The AC Milan squad will return to training at Milanello today and they could well be joined by Zlatan Ibrahimovic who will report for his first day of duty, a report claims.
This morning’s edition of La Gazzetta dello Sport (seen below) writes how a crucial part of the season opens for the Rossoneri who will only be involved in the league and the Coppa Italia from now until mid-February.
Ibrahimovic will be there after he was called to incite the turning point and then in two months it will be time to take on the Europa League, a competition that the club have never one and therefore it must be a stimulus.
Over the course of the week we witnessed the return of Zlatan. For the third time the Swede has begun a new adventure with the Rossoneri, and his first behind the desk. Being behind the desk is metaphorical in many ways, because Ibra wants to be involved and will therefore be alongside the team and alongside the management.
The first meeting between Ibra, Pioli and the team was supposed to be yesterday but the Rossoneri coach granted a day’s rest after the win in Newcastle. Consequently, his return to Milanello may be postponed until today.
The team will meet in Milanello for lunch and then take to the pitch to start preparing for the Lombard derby against Monza on Sunday lunchtime, hoping to get back on track in Serie A after the defeat against Atalanta.
Meanwhile, Milan were relegated to the Europa League. The feelings are mixed: the competition does not tickle the palate of many fans but at the same time it is a European competition and there is plenty to fight for.
Even if in a reduced form, the UEL can also bring earnings and visibility in the international field, which is what Cardinale is looking for. Enthusiasm is needed, and from this point of view Ibra’s addition could prove fundamental, to restore motivation to a team that is a little tired from that point of view.
Then there is the issue of physical health: without a full squad, it is difficult to move forward. Newcastle proved it, the changes made the difference. With all the main players on the pitch, Milan have shown that they know how to compete with the best (like against PSG), but it hasn’t happened often enough.
