AC Milan’s Serie A title is a personal triumph for coach Stefano Pioli, a mild-mannered father figure to the young talent who powered the charge to the Scudetto.
In a league where managerial histrionics and post-match outbursts are commonplace, Pioli is a relatively restrained figure who rarely loses his cool in public and commands an obvious affection from his players.
He has dealt with Milan losing big players like Italy goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma as free agents without kicking up a fuss and adapted to lead a vibrant squad containing youngsters like Sandro Tonali, Rafael Leao and Fikayo Tomori.
Milan’s first title since 2011 is his first major trophy as a coach, a remarkable honour which comes at the age of 56 and after a managerial career which had never previously threatened to reach such heights.