Zlatan Ibrahimovic, a lion among men in a wild weekend in Serie A | Nicky Bandini | Football

meIt was one of those weekends in Serie A. Oh, you know, the kind that starts when the league leaders are thrashed 4-1 and ends with a likely goal-of-the-season contender, while the champions drop points. to a new side promoted in the middle. The kind of weekend where a team can come 3-1 down after 63 minutes to win and barely cause a ripple, because everyone is still busy talking about the image of a lion.

The eerie image, of a large cat whose jaws drip blood, was posted by Zlatan Ibrahimovic on his social media accounts on Saturday night. It was subtitled with a single word, “Fame”- Italian for“ Hunger ”.

Many people had questioned Ibrahimovic’s competitive appetite when he swapped Manchester United for the LA Galaxy in March 2018. When a footballer leaves the major European leagues in the late 1930s, it is often assumed that he is looking for a last payday before to retire. But Ibrahimovic scored 52 goals in 56 Major League Soccer games before heading back in the opposite direction.

His move to Milan last winter sparked a mixed reaction. Fans flocked to welcome the man whose goals led the team to their most recent Serie A title, but club directors sought to temper expectations. “The more time passes, the more difficult is your salary [to justify]”Paolo Maldini acknowledged, days before the deal was closed. “Let’s not forget that we are talking about a 38-year-old player who has not played a competitive game since October.”

Ten months later, we are all still talking. Ibrahimovic’s impact in Milan was immediate, scoring in his first start and helping transform the outlook of a club that had been failing. the Rossoneri He was 10th in Serie A when he arrived, averaging less than one goal per game. They finished sixth, high enough to qualify for Europe, having raised that average to more than two goals per game after their return.

On Saturday, he led Milan to their first derby in more than four years. Ibrahimovic had been forced to take time off again this fall, spending his 39th birthday in self-isolation after testing positive for Covid-19. Any fears that he might have rusted were dispelled when he prodded Inter with a pair of early goals.

He was aided by a chaotic defense. Aleksandar Kolarov has had a lot of trouble since joining Inter, where he has been deployed down the left of a back three. The Serb got caught on the wrong side of Ibrahimovic’s career in the 11th minute and appeared to panic as his opponent stormed into the penalty area, launching himself into a desperate challenge from behind.

A penalty was the only possible result. Ibrahimovic nearly blew it, shooting too close to the goalkeeper, but reacted quickly to force the rebound home after Samir Handanovic parried him. Moments later, he had his second, advanced to a Rafael Leão cross on the back post and dragged him home. This time Kolarov had completely lost track of the striker.

The game was not yet decided. Romelu Lukaku scored a goal in the 29th minute. Some Milan fans may have already been experiencing flashbacks until February, when they jumped to a 2-0 lead against Inter only to end up losing 4-2.

Lukaku nearly tied before the break, with a deflected header. Achraf Hakimi did the same after the break. Inter were awarded a penalty of their own, only to have it taken away again after a VAR review ruled Lukaku offside. The Belgian would then get two closer times in second-half injury time, missing the mark after exchanging passes with Lautaro Martínez, before having a brilliant shoe blocked at point blank range.

Ibrahimovic was still in the fight, taking a free kick in the 89th minute, although he had actually asked his coach to get out of there. “I was exhausted,” said Stefano Pioli, “but this time I didn’t listen to him. Your contribution is very important. “

That seems undeniable. Ibrahimovic is the leading scorer for a Milan team that has scored the most points in its first four games for the first time in a quarter of a century. A team that sits alone at the top of Serie A at the end of a round of matches for the first time since 2011.

However, its impact extends beyond the goals scored. Ibrahimovic has galvanized Milan, his high expectations and competitive fury have helped elevate a talented group that previously seemed too immature to compete at the highest levels. In public, he takes the limelight, but ask his teammates how he behaves in practice and they’ll tell you he’s anything but obsessed with himself.

“Since he arrived, he has been close to me all the time,” Leão said in an interview. “He is always giving me advice, telling me that I can do even better, that I have the potential to become a point of reference for Milan.” Ante Rebic echoed those sentiments, saying that Ibrahimovic “helps everyone.”

Maybe even a picture of a lion can do something. Ibrahimovic’s cartoonish swagger is easy on the headlines, but he’s doing something a coach would be praised for: taking pressure off a young team by drawing attention to himself. Self-confidence can also be contagious. Milan haven’t even finished in the top four of Serie A since 2013, but when a journalist asked Ibrahimovic if they could win the ScudettoHe replied, “Of course.”

Neither of which is to paint Milan as a one-man team. The greatest credit continues to go to Pioli, who has built something unrecognizable from the side he inherited last October. Milan are anything but dependent on Ibra, winning the two games they have played without him this season by a total of five goals to nil.

The potential in this group is tempting, from Gianluigi Donnarumma in goal, through Alessio Romagnoli and Theo Hernández in defense, Franck Kessié and Ismaël Bennacer in midfield and Leão and Alexis Saelemaekers in attack. Not to mention Rebic, who was injured on Saturday, or Sandro Tonali, who came off the bench. Or indeed, Hakan Calhanoglu, an elder of this team at 26 years old.

It was Ibrahimovic who demanded our attention in a weekend of crazy stories across the league. If Milan are able to maintain the momentum that has seen them rack up the most points of any Serie A team since the league came out of lockdown this summer, it will be because they have found a group that shares their hunger to succeed.