Fabio Capello believes that AC Milan’s drop-off was something he could see coming, while he accused some players of not caring.
The last couple of months could have gone better for Milan. They have won just two of their last eight games and have seen an eight-point gap over fifth place completely wiped out, which has set up a far more tense season finale than what Massimiliano Allegri would have hoped for.
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While the attack continues to struggle to score goals, the defensive solidity seems to have abandoned the team too with five goals conceded in the last two matches. With Genoa and Cagliari to come, the Rossoneri need two wins to secure Champions League football and avoid completing the collapse.
Capello spoke to La Gazzetta dello Sport about the decline that Milan have had in recent weeks and why it was predictable in his eyes, despite all of the positivity from the first half of the 2025-26 campaign.
A decline at the end of the season is understandable, but would anyone have expected such a collapse?
“The reality is that in the last four games, Milan hasn’t been strong, hasn’t fought, hasn’t shown the desire and determination needed to win. And the results are there to see. None of this surprises me.”
Is there any particular situation you’re referring to?
“Certainly. I saw some players fighting and others losing the ball and not caring. Players who didn’t care about helping and weren’t interested in lending a hand in defence.”
How do they get out of this pit?
“In terms of play, I’d like to see a solid team again, something that hasn’t happened since. But above all, the Milan of the last two games must be the same as they were in the final half hour against Atalanta: a team eager, angry, and determined.
“I hear that Atalanta facilitated the situation by dropping too much, but if that happened, it was down to Milan. If the Rossoneri start from this foundation, the results will come. But the ninety minutes must be played entirely like this, and not just in reaction to protests or boos.
“Frankly, I don’t think the coach didn’t work on this aspect. On the pitch, however, the team showed a disjointed spirit among the players. There’s not much to talk about now, or rather: Allegri must make one thing clear in the dressing room.”
Which?
“Whatever prompted you to play that way in the last twenty minutes against Atalanta, now you have to do it for the entire ninety. Was it anger? Show me that throughout the match.”
More than a few have pointed the finger at a poor physical condition…
“No way, it’s not a physical problem. If they start running like crazy in the 80th minute, the explanation doesn’t hold up.”
So, as Allegri says, it’s all in the mind?
“Certainly. If the team believes it can play like it did in the last game against Atalanta, the two wins we need will come.”
But now the defence are also declining…
“They’re playing poorly at the back because they’re inattentive and because there’s no filter in midfield. I haven’t seen Milan attack when the opponent has the ball anymore. Before, they closed down, even when they were defending.”
Moreover, the defenders are the same as in the months when not even a pin could pass behind them…
“It’s a question of teamwork, and then there was a lack of desire and determination from the entire team.”
How much blame does Allegri have in a similar context?
“Looking at the negative numbers, he obviously has some blame. He failed to keep his mental health high. However, he’s been talking about reaching a certain score for some time, giving precise instructions and a clear message.
“He’s evidently been sensing something wrong with the team for quite some time. He was sniffing the air, I think.”
How much are the players to blame?
“The coach doesn’t go on the pitch, he just gives instructions. If a player loses the ball and then doesn’t move to get it back… that’s the gist of it.”
What is the most glaring weakness of this team?
“They don’t score goals, that’s easy to say. Leao has scored nine in the league, but he can’t play like that up front. It’s reductive to blame him all the time; everyone’s to blame.”
Some are calling for a complete reset at all levels: would that be the best solution?
“These are things I read and hear, I don’t know. Only those who experience the situation from the inside can know. I can only say that the blame must be shared.
“I mean, the blame lies with the managers, who by definition are those who lead. And then, in a cascade, it trickles down the organizational chart. Also because at Milan, no one person makes decisions alone.”
2025/26 in ’25 (16 rounds): 10-05-01;
2025/26 in ’26 (20 rounds): 09-05-06.
He isn’t wrong, if Capello was in there a lot of these guys would’ve been dropped from the squad entirely.
Who do you think he’s referring to other than Leao? Fofana has been that way before. But I haven’t noticed lately.who else do you think doesn’t care?
Capello, you are wrong.
What do you know about football? Last year it was Theo and Leao and this year it is Allegri and Leao. If you replaced these 2 each year Milan would be champions. Just ask people online. 😂😂😂
He’s basically saying that the whole team is to blame, not only Leao and Allegri.
Anybody watching Serie A already knew that Allegri is has-been as a coach. Juventus fans were asking for his head for years. And it doesn’t help when the players recruited are bad and unsuitable for the coach’s system. This roster looks like prime Banter era.
Thank you for telling me what I said. You are a genius for figuring it out…
You have some very thin skin my guy
What? Thin skin because I don’t appreciate stupid people that can’t read with understanding explaining to me because they couldn’t understand it was sarcasm and I said exactly this? If you think that you’re a mo*on, same as Bartholomeo.
So sensitive always blowing a gasket over something…
Breathe. I don’t know you, I’m not in your head, your comment isn’t clear. It’s hard to distinguish “sarcasm” and redbird lovers around here.
The problem I have with some of our fans here is that they don’t hit the mail at the head. What is the problem or wrong that Leao has? Have you guys ever asked or thought if Leao was good in the central position as a top striker? Can Fisayo Saka of Arsenal play as a top striker? The answer is NO. Has anyone ever sat down to realize that Milan team who won the league few years ago had strength from flanks mainly the left wing where Leao out run the defense and cross the ball for the top striker to score BUT in Allegri time such play disappeared all because Allegri converted Leao to top striker position and Leao couldn’t function in that position And yet even when all our legends like Shecenco advised him to switch Leao back to his favorite position Allegri refused. When last did you see Milan scoring 4 goals last.
The problem is Allegri not Leao
Shevcheco told Allegri to return Leaoto the wing but he refused because he’s stubborn.
Have you noticed that most of Milan games had no top striker in the box and Leao with pullisic were in same position during some matches?
Allegri got it wrong and this gave every opponent the opportunity to read our game plans easily. The truth remains that even if Allegri has all the messi and CR7 of this world he can’t get results in Milan because he lost the modern pattern of play. My reason for saying all these was seen in our last match against Atlanta when we switched to 433 where we had a striker in the box who was able to hold the defense of Atlanta and 2 goals came.
Think about this. Inter plays with 2 strikers in the box and were scoring lots of goals while Milan had no striker in the box without goals so everyone should stop blaming Leao and facing the Allegri
Leao played of the left wing against Atalanta and was argubaly the worst player on the pitch. That excuse doesn’t work anymore. He is lazy and has pubalgia which doesn’t allow him to execute his runs. Allegri’s only fault is fielding him in the starting 11 to begin with, but then again, every alternative is in horrible shape and/or unsuitable for this team.
if someone sign Zlatan as fooball adviser when such Capello, Sacchi & Maldini still around, u know exactly what the direction
“They’re playing poorly at the back because they’re inattentive and because there’s no filter in midfield.”
No filter in midfield
We have needed a number 6 to support our defense for a very long time, playing with five defenders will never be a long-term solution because you loose so much in attacking.
Allegri and Leao styles, too predictable. Leao, too lazy. Watched Everton vs Man. City, and, couldn’t help applauding Haaland for his defensive work. The likes of Doku, Rowe, Semenyo, constantly mount pressure on the opponent’s defense. Leao gets it right once in a blue moon, and starts to feel, and walk, like a king on the pitch. If he’s sold to any of the top teams in the world, he wouldn’t play this way. No big coach will tolerate a player that strolls on the pitch. No hard feelings towards him, but, I think we need to ship him out. Allegri, too, has to go. We won’t achieve anything with him in charge.