AC Milan head coach Massimiliano Allegri gave little away regarding his fate beyond this seaosn, claiming that the ‘future is tomorrow’.
Having secured a much-needed win over Genoa last weekend, Milan go into the last game of the season knowing they are in control of their own destiny. With a win they will not only secure a return to the Champions League but also third place.
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They face an already-safe Cagliari side, which can be both a good and a bad thing given they might well end up playing with a bit more freedom. The live table will no doubt add its own pressure as scores from the other fixtures come in, too.
Allegri’s final press conference of 2025-26
The Milan coach spoke to the reporters who gathered at Milanello – where the team are currently in a training retreat – for the final time this season. His words were relayed by MilanNews.
This season, you have always talked about key matches, especially away games. This time, however, home games are crucial, where Milan’s pace in 2026 is slower than in 2025…
“Let’s just say the pace of 2026 is tragic. At home, we’ve picked up one point in our last three games. Those are numbers… Tomorrow is the last game of the season, and today is the last pre-match press conference of the season.
“Thank you for putting up with me;,we even had a bit of fun, which is one of the most important things. Tomorrow’s objective is there, close at hand, so we have to make sure we reach it. Otherwise, tomorrow night won’t be a good night.
“We’ll face Cagliari with great respect. They have a first-time coach, Pisacane, who has done an excellent job. They’ve had a great season, and I’m happy. I have a strong bond with Cagliari.
“Tomorrow we’ll have to play a serious match: with a positive result, we have a chance of qualifying for the Champions League.”
Is tomorrow’s goal big for your future?
“As for the future, I think the future is tomorrow. It’s the most important match for everyone. For everyone at Milanello, at Casa Milan, and for the fans. Tomorrow will be a full stadium.
“A win should be a sign of thanks to them, who have been there for us all year, even in difficult times. It’ll be a tough 100 minutes, with a lot of pressure. But we need to stay calm.”
What is the injury situation?
“Everyone is fine, we have everyone available. We’ll need everyone; the match will likely be decided in the last half hour. Cagliari conceded goals from the 50th minute onwards. But they’re strong, we need to play a very serious game.”
Did you tell your players not to listen to the outside noise?
“Tomorrow we only run one risk: our attitude and a bit of superficiality. After Genoa, when we had a very intense week in terms of tensions. The mistake we can’t make tomorrow is to approach the match with less focus.
“Our attitude will be crucial – we have to do the same things we did in Genoa. Nowadays, everyone is talking, doing, and arguing on social media. We have to stay focused on the final objective and take all the criticisms to our side.”
Does the strong presence of the owner affect your future?
“I’ll say one thing, which is the most important thing. The club must always be the driving force behind everything. A strong club certainly gets everyone working better, and it’s easier to achieve results. The foundation of those results depends on the club’s performance.
“The club is the driving force behind everything. The owners have always stood by the team, and recently they’ve understood their importance and have been even closer, and we’re happy. Tomorrow we hope to win and secure qualification for the Champions League.”
What has training told you?
“I’ll decide tomorrow morning. The important thing is to have everyone available, it’s a long game. Cagliari is a team that could cause us problems. We mustn’t overdo it and remain organised for the 100 minutes.”
How did this second retreat come about? Modric had some kind words for you…
“I was pleased with Luka’s words, especially coming from him. Luka is an important example for everyone who worked with him here at Milanello. The retreat was made up of players who asked to stay at Milanello.
“It’s a great feeling. We have time to work and rest. It’s an act of responsibility the players have taken to realise the importance of tomorrow’s match.”
Have you ever asked to do a retreat?
“We’re talking about 40 years ago, who remembers (laughs).”
Would Galliani’s presence make you feel more at peace?
“These are corporate dynamics. I have to think about being a coach, which isn’t easy. As for corporate dynamics, the owners have to think about doing what’s best for Milan.”
What does this Milan deserve?
“If we were to reach the Champions League tomorrow night, it would be thanks to them if the boys gave us this goal. The position we occupy tomorrow night will be the position we deserve. The league table shows the teams that deserved that position.”
Will you ask Tare to stay?
“I repeat. I’m the one who has to weigh in on the club dynamics. Right now, with 30 hours to go until the most important match of the year, talking about Allegri, Tare and Marco is pointless.
“We need to stay focused on tomorrow night’s match, which is the most important thing for everyone. It won’t be easy at all. We’ll evaluate everything from Monday, once the season has stopped.”
Who plays alongside Nkunku? Gimenez, Fullkrug, Leao? How was Leao’s week?
“We also have Pulisic. The front four are all fit. We’ll definitely have more certainties tomorrow.”
Loftus-Cheek and Fofana also missed your 15-goal target…
“They definitely could have done better. They have all the qualities to have a better scoring average in the future. Ruben also got injured. It’s one thing to have a good season, it’s another to have a great season: and it all depends on tomorrow’s result.”
Do you feel like a guardian of Milan right now? How do you feel about the fans’ support?
“The most important thing is to always do your job with passion and love, striving to deliver results. I was fortunate to be with Cellino, Berlusconi and Agnelli. It’s not true that the ownership is aseptic or lacking in passion.
“Commitment, and Cardinale demonstrated this by coming to Genoa, is very important. Milan has its own history and DNA, which must be respected: everyone who works at Milan must have the passion to achieve results.
“When someone works with the utmost passion and professionalism, there’s nothing to be criticised for. I’m not the savior of anything. I just know that I have an extraordinary group of guys who must give us the goal of the season tomorrow, and they must do it together with the fans. The stadium will be packed, and they’ll have to give us a hand because it will be a difficult match.”
Can Leao and Pulisic still give Milan more?
“I think they’re two players who can still give a lot to Milan, they’re both technically gifted. They’ve been hampered by injuries. Leao had a calf problem, then a groin problem. We have 100 minutes tomorrow, they’re all fine, they’ll have to play a good game.”
Yesterday, AC Milan didn’t remember the Rossoneri’s last Scudetto. Pellegatti’s disappointment: “It was incredibly sad, I was very disappointed.”
May 23, 2026, by Enrico Ferrazzi
Carlo Pellegatti, in a video published on his YouTube channel, expressed his disappointment at the fact that AC Milan ‘s social media yesterday didn’t even post a single post to commemorate the last Scudetto won by the Devil on May 22, 2022: “It was very sad, dear friends, not to see on AC Milan’s social media yesterday, I don’t know who manages them, a small memory, which should be big, of the 19th Scudetto won by AC Milan. On May 22, true AC Milan fans immediately think of Wembley, Cesare Maldini lifting the cup, Altafini scoring two goals, Rivera painting, Trapattoni, Benitez, Pivatelli, Mora, Ghezzi, David, Trebbi. And yet not a single line about the first Champions Cup or the last Scudetto. Juventus is rightly celebrating the 30th anniversary of its 1996 Champions League. We don’t have the wave number, it’s not the 10, the 20 Oh, we’re 30 years old, but we don’t even remember the date of the last championship won after 11 years…
I’d like to think that something is changing in general in the communications department, that we’re communicating more with the new managers, that there’s no longer this iron curtain that we’ve seen more than once in the last three or four years. It wasn’t a problem with the communications managers, it’s the philosophy. And yesterday, not even a small memory was sad. The month of May is filled with victories. Perhaps we should remind them that tomorrow, Sunday, May 24th, is an important Sunday, because that day—they may not know it—we won the first European Cup of Berlusconi’s presidency. Perhaps on May 28th, we should remind them that we saw them win in Manchester.
A small reminder, since others remind us that Inter is the only team in Milan with two stars, they reminded us. Well, maybe we remember, we remember that we won a few Champions Leagues and are only two league titles behind, not 27. I was very sorry, let’s give the almanac to those who need to remember these things on social media.”