In the sign of Ibra. The Swede, who will turn 39 on 3 October, reminded everyone, if there was still a need, of the reason for his maxi-contract worth 7 million per season with a brace for a great bomber, decisive in giving 3 points to his Milan. Mihajlovic's Bologna couldn't help but bow down to this mix of technique, elegance, power and coolness, while Pioli, for obvious reasons, enjoyed it all. “If I had been 20 I would have scored two more goals, but luckily I have 39 – joked, up to a certain point, Zlatan – I like having this responsibility, the greatest pressure comes from myself. I don't want to talk about my age compared to other players, we have to be judged on the same level: I want to be judged in the same way as a XNUMX-year-old”.
Words from a leader, just like on the pitch: Milan, after all, confirmed him exactly for this. His presence distracts attention from his teammates, giving confidence and taking away pressure at the same time, and the results can all be seen. His arrival had already given benefits last season, but the damages of the first few months were too big to be cancelled. Now however it's different, also because the state of form, after last season's run-in, has removed that pinch of rust that makes the difference: and so, after the balance-breaking goal in Dublin, here's yesterday's brace, one with an imperious header (35'), the other on penalty (50', foul by Orsolini on Bennacer). The rest was done by the buck Hernandez e Calabria, the personality of Bennacer, the usual game "full" of Calhanoglu, the parades of Donnarumma (“cursed be he who made him debut” joked Mihajlovic, guilty of the crime on the now distant 25 October 2015).
“Ibra is a champion and he proves it every time he takes the field, but when the team works it's normal that the individuals are exalted – the analysis by Pioli – When the players are mentally well, the legs go accordingly: this team knows how to be on the pitch with personality and now has a very specific identity”. The starting point is marked, now we just have to wait for the last days of the market to see if Maldini, author of an important market so far, will be able to fill even the last gap with whoever is in front of him. “We weren't asked to go to the Champions League, but to try. We don't set ourselves limits - the words of the Rossoneri manager - One of the priorities is definitely the central defender, in midfield with the arrival of Tonali we are more than calm. Milenkovic e air hottest names? I would say no, there are others” (the new name could be that of nastasic of Schalke 04, ed.).
We'll see what happens, certainly this market session, despite enormous economic difficulties, is offering truly sensational twists. The latest, in chronological order, arrived yesterday at Juve, where the striker requested by Pirlo has finally arrived. Neither Dzeko nor Suarez: the new black and white number 9 will be Alvaro Morata, taken from Atletico Madrid with the formula of an expensive loan (9 million, renewable also for next season) with the right to buy set at 45. A full-blown blitz (the Spaniard will be in Turin for medical tests as early as tomorrow), son of Pirlo's esteem for his ex-partner (the two played together in the Berlin final against Barcelona), but also, if not above all, del chaos on the De Laurentiis-Milik axis, which practically blew up the deal with Roma and the consequent sale of Dzeko. Juve could wait no longer and so closed for Morata, especially since Atletico, a few hours earlier, had forcefully approached Suarez (in Spain they take the deal as fact).
No surprises on the front, however Vidal, from yesterday to all intents and purposes a player of theInter: the signing came after an intense day, which had seen the Chilean land in Milan and undergo the usual medical examinations. Conte will therefore finally be able to train his protégé and field him on Saturday against Fiorentina, in what will be the opening match of the season. Between now and the weekend, however, anything can still happen: after all, this market has taught us never to take anything for granted, at least until the signings.
