Former Inter coach Marco Tardelli has said that AC Milan could afford to build their title challenge slowly and labelled Zlatan Ibrahimovic as the turning point.
Speaking during an interview with La Gazzetta dello Sport, Tardelli took stock of Milan’s title-winning campaign and the project that they have built over the past few seasons to get to this point.
He feels that Swedish forward Ibrahimovic was the trigger that brought a lot of players at the club up a level to the point where they could win the Scudetto as a collective.
“Milan have been able to afford to build. However, the turning point was Ibrahimovic who changed everything and transformed a shy locker room into a swagger, helping the growth of Tonali, Leao, Tomori, Kalulu.
“Milan also spotted Maignan: bravo to Maldini. He had courage.”
Many feel that winning the title has actually come earlier than Milan’s project under Elliott Management had planned for but it now means they can build under new ownership and try to become the dominant force.
Ibrahimovic will have to continue helping from the sidelines as he is set to undergo knee surgery that will keep him out for some time.