It took 185 days to hear his first real words in his new role. Six months, those that have passed since 11 December 2023, the day of his appointment as “Operating Partner for RedBird’s investment portfolio in the Sports, Media and Entertainment sectors“, with the role of “Senior Advisor to the Ownership and Senior Management of AC Milan”. Lots of big words to communicate that Zlatan Ibrahimovic he returned to Milan with the role of special advisor to the owner Gerry Cardinale and “unofficial” manager of the Rossoneri club alongside the leaders of the sports area, Furlani, Moncada and D’Ottavio. Ibra studied, he chose to take a step back, at least publicly, to make himself available to the club that led him to win two championships in two different experiences 11 years apart. It took some time, he received criticism – a lot – for this silence, but in the end Ibra put his face to it.
Fonseca’s announcement
And he decided to put it on the day the new coach was announced, Paulo Fonseca, a technician that the public contested when it was still a simple idea. Ibra has decided to be the guarantor towards the Rossoneri fans and to act as a shield for the former coach Rome And Lille. Trust me, he said Ibra. «If I’m wrong – he added -, I’m the first to say I made a mistake and I take responsibility». The Rossoneri fans will probably remain skeptical about the Portuguese coach’s choice until the results – if they arrive, ça va sans dire – start to change their opinion. But since yesterday the AC Milan people have once again had a symbol to turn towards them. There was a void, there was no point in going around it, even if at Casa Milan they tried for a long time to erase the cumbersome shape of Paolo Maldini. He may have made his mistakes as a manager, he may have had different ideas that were not compatible with those of American managers, but he was Paolo Maldini. That is, the Milan. Ibra is not a flag like the former captain, but he is something that is very close to an icon of the Devil. And this was terribly needed.
