It's been a while since Stefano Pioli gave an insight into the new club culture at AC Milan.

Since Zlatan Ibrahimović was back, he doesn't go to the dressing room as often, the coach said that it wasn't necessary.

He also no longer speaks to the players directly after the games about possible improvements.

"They're not particularly receptive to that," said Pioli.

He announces the lineups before the games without justification, if there are complaints, his door in the coaching office at the Milanello training center is always open.

Once, Pioli said, Ibrahimović came into his office and said: “So, coach, now I'll talk!” He, the coach, sat down and listened without answering. "The next day I spoke," said Pioli: "We also tell each other negative things." This is how it works at Milan now. "You have to understand situations, people and moments."

These snapshots from the new reality reflect a new professional climate, perhaps surprising in its simple duality, which is obviously beneficial for AC Milan.

After eleven match days, Milan are second in the Serie A table, tied with leaders SSC Napoli.

The 18-time Italian champion has not had a better start to the season since 1954.

After difficult years and a change of ownership, Milan experienced months of happiness, which sometimes still cause amazement, especially among the public.

Derby as a favorite

This Sunday (8.45 p.m. at DAZN), the AC receives city rivals and champions Inter Milan for the “Derby della Madonnina”, which is named after the statue of the Virgin Mary on Milan Cathedral. Milan are favored again for the first time in years, Inter are third in the table and seven points behind. Not everyone believes in victory over the master - with the exception of Ibrahimović. How did the Swede, who alternates between megalomania and genius, say after his return to Milan in January a year ago? "It is crucial that the cathedral sees me, not I see the cathedral."

Milan have not lost touch with Ibrahimović. The soaring of the 2011 champion has continued since January 2020 and is not only due to Ibrahimović. The association is currently an example of how successful development can work. Ibrahimović, who has scored three goals in seven Serie A games this season, is an important element in this system with his extreme demands, ambition and experience. “He helps the whole team to grow,” says coach Pioli about the 40-year-old. "He's always electrified."

The second factor is the management around Technical Director Paolo Maldini, Sports Director Frederic Massara and Managing Director Ivan Gazidis.

After turbulent years, the sale of Silvio Berlusconi's club to the Chinese investor Li Yonghong, the club fell to the American investment fund Elliott in 2018 because Li was unable to meet his obligations.

Maldini put together a mix of experienced players such as Ibrahimović, defenders Simon Kjær and Olivier Giroud and young, hungry, unknown players who are affectionately known in Milan as "little devils" based on the club's mascot.

Maldini also issued clear disciplinary rules for the team.

The fact that the soap opera about goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma, who had switched to Paris Saint-Germain, came to an end in the summer ensured calm.

The influence of Stefano Pioli

Another factor is coach Pioli himself. The 53-year-old from Parma worked for many years in the province, but has also coached Lazio, Inter Milan and Fiorentina. "I had to work a lot to get to this point," he said. Among other things, he trained in communication, psychology and leadership. "My players who I trained in Salerno in 2003 would not recognize me," he said. In 2020 the Gazzetta dello Sport voted him “Coach of the Year”. Pioli came to AC Milan in October 2019, followed by an epic 5-0 defeat by Atalanta Bergamo in December - a kind of zero hour for today's team. Ibrahimović and Kjær were signed during the winter break.

The team did not lose a game until January 2021 and was second in the table behind champions Inter Milan last season. For the first time in years, she qualified again for the Champions League. The plan of the managing director Gazidis to sign Ralf Rangnick last summer has been abandoned. There was no longer any reason to throw Pioli out, on the contrary. The management did not set any minimum targets, reported Pioli, "that helped a lot". Young players like Rafael Leao (21), Alexis Saelemaekers (22), Brahim Diaz (22), Franck Kessié (24), Ismael Bennacer (23), Davide Calabria (24) and audience favorite Sandro Tonali (21) were able to develop without pressure . "The players are all a little like children to me," says Pioli, who also has his own son Gianmarco as a game analyst on the coaching staff.

Milan's deficits come to light in the Champions League.

There is only one point from four games to book after the 1-1 draw against FC Porto on Wednesday.

The Corriere della Sera wrote of the "syndrome of the puppy that does not dare to leave the kennel", perhaps the team is "afraid of flying".

Because the experts trust AC Milan, the team is one of the league favorites for the title.

That would also relieve Stefano Pioli of a burden.

His main critic is his mother, he reported.

"She complains that I still haven't won a title."