AC Milan have won three league games on the spin to propel themselves into the top four, and while it may be too early to talk about a corner being turned under Paulo Fonseca there are certainly some factors which have helped.
Milan went into the derby against Inter eight days ago not only as the big underdogs in the game because of their recent record in the fixture but also because they had won just one of five games to begin the new campaign.
A 3-1 home defeat against Liverpool in which the scoreline could have been even more damaging set the alarm bells ringing, because there was no clear style of play and the team were being overrun in transition just as they were under Stefano Pioli towards the end of his tenure.
However, the Rossoneri won the derby after a system change with a brilliant performance and they backed it up by comfortably beating Lecce on Friday night to move right back in amongst the teams fighting for the title.
Sky journalist Peppe Di Stefano tried to explain what has changed during an interview on Carlo Pellegatti’s YouTube channel with five key points highlighted, and his comments were relayed by Radio Rossonera.
“[First there was] A one hour and forty minute chat at Milanello where they should have made videos and instead they talked not only about technique and tactics,” he began.
“Secondly, the pre-derby Friday barbecue was very important for the team’s unity. Also important is the role of Zlatan Ibrahimovic, criticised after the phrase ‘I’m the boss, I’m in charge’. He totally changed tone and becomes more accommodating, nice and calm towards everyone.
“The last two episodes are the one with the writing ‘Courage’ on the lockers. The fifth is when he ssaidys in the press conference that he did not want to speak well of Inter, but the truth is that he didn’t even show a single frame of Inter, and when you do that you’re either clueless or you’re working on the team’s mentality.
“He worked like this and made it clear that he didn’t want to win because of Inter’s flaws, but because Milan is capable of winning by playing on the attack.”
