Massimiliano Allegri is no different to anyone and he has a few favourites at AC Milan. Perhaps it may be clear already, but the seven have been revealed.
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It is nothing new for managers to have favourites. Whether it is reliability, personality or a mix of other things, it is rather common for people to have a set group they can trust. That is not necessarily a bad thing, though.
In fact, the group is probably shared across the fanbase.
Allegri’s favourites
The majority of his ‘favourites’, as Gazzetta dello Sport write, are in the defensive structure. For Allegri, this is not too shocking! Each player brings a bit of something and the Italian appreciates each.
Mike Maignan and Matteo Gabbia are reliable heads who add personality to the group and act as reference points for those around them. Strahinja Pavlovic has been a personal project of the coach, which has been immensely successful.
Davide Bartesaghi and Alexis Saelemaekers represent different things, but each is heartfelt. For the former, it is a sign of the synergy between the youth teams and the first team, which Allegri is keen on. With the Belgian, it is his ability to bring balance to the team.
Finally, there are his two French midfielders. Youssouf Fofana, despite shaky moments, has always been Allegri’s go-to. He is the preferred ‘counterweight’ in the midfield three. Then, there is the obvious, Adrien Rabiot.
A friend from Juventus and a ‘pure Allegri player’. Little more needs to be said.