Sportitalia director Michele Criscitiello has criticised AC Milan’s management for the squad they built, and revealed Massimiliano Allegri isn’t happy either.
From the outside looking in, it would appear that Milan are having a much better season given that they finished eighth in 2024-25 in what was a chaotic campaign. Now they are second, so on course for a Champions League return, and only in the past few days has the Scudetto dream truly died.
Yet, there are also some obvious shortcomings with the squad construction, as well as concerns about both the home form and also results against teams in the bottom half of the table. This risks turning a potential title fight into a battle just to stay in the top four.
Criscitiello’s worries
Criscitiello spoke live on Sportitalia and he revealed some rather worrying indications regarding the concerns of Allegri and his relationship with the management.
“The news from February doesn’t carry the same weight as the news from March-April, because just one or two wins are enough for the world to change. However, we are at the lowest point in the relationship between the current Milan and the current Allegri,” he said (via MilanNews).
“Allegri is unhappy with many things, with the management of the Rossoneri transfer market, with the confusion that still reigns at the corporate level, with the ownership, and with the interlocutors within the club.
“It’s not a strong statement, it’s not meant to be a buzz phrase, but right now Allegri is seriously considering his future, starting next season. If previously it was impossible to imagine a 2026-27 Milan without Allegri, today Milan, and above all Allegri, is not happy with how things are going at Milan.
“Today he is focused on achieving the top four places, that’s the minimum. He was called to bring Milan back to the Champions League, and he will do it like the great professional he is. But as of today, Massimiliano Allegri no longer has the absolute conviction to continue with Milan.
“That is unless he receives certain confirmation and reassurances. Also because, from what I understand, the relationship with Ibrahimovic and Furlani, the two key players, is not as solid as it could have been a few months ago.”
During the latest episode of the Aura Sport podcast, Criscitiello also gave his own personal opinion on where the Milan management have perhaps not given Allegri the best squad. MilanNews relayed his words.
“Playing without a striker in a team like Milan is incredibly difficult because you lack an attacking threat, you lack confidence. We’ve learned that Leao can’t play as a striker, and Nkunku, with all the love we have for him, can’t play as a striker.
“In my opinion, Allegri didn’t know what to do anymore and put Leao as a striker. It’s not a question of a long or short blanket, there’s just no blanket. Milan can only play 4-3-3. You can add Modric, Rabiot, and any midfielder you want, but then you lack the foundation, there’s no center forward.
“Milan made mistakes in building the team in some areas of the pitch. The pitch is meritocratic, in the end the score is given to you. Milan lost to Parma because Inter won at Lecce. There was a surreal atmosphere at San Siro, as if to say that even if we win, we’re still far away.”
Oh joy!
I’d be delighted to see him leave in summer.
He has stabilised the team now we need someone who can build a good team
Also be a good kick up the a55 for management.
They need to get serious
Spending on striker after striker without investing the required funds to buy a good one. Its the very definition of “penny wise, pound foolish”
So de zerbi the opposite? Coach who can’t defend?
Sure he is one name to consider.
Unfortunately Spalletti and Gasperini were both available and we missed out on those 2 genuinely brilliant managers.
2 managers capable of playing great football and having a great defence.
Imagine!
Juventus sure currently looks great with Spaletti huh ?
Spalletti not doing wonders with Juventus, and Gasperini is a bomb waiting to go off. We need young, talented, ambitious coaches that have already shown something, not mediocre ones like Fonseca, or ossified ones like Allegri, Gasperini and Spalletti. Bring me Maresca, Farioli or Fabregas.
Lol De Zerbi 0-5 PSG. He sounds like a good candidate for Inter’s next coach, they scores match perfectly. People chirping about De Zerbi as if he was a saint. The dude simply can’t stop conceding goals.
Most of this is just him thinking out loud, but he is right about one thing. We don’t have CF’s and whatever Max is trying to do with Leao isn’t working. So give Max the CB’s he can have full confidence in and he’ll play the 433.
That’s a bit speculative.
Even if we had better CBs, nothings guarantees that Allegri will abandon the 3-5-2.
Furthemore in a 4-3-3, how do you deal with Saelemakers ? Is he gonna be a deputy winger or a right back (position that he never played in).
Saelemaekers isn’t a generational talent. His dribbling is good but crosses into the box are far worse than Athekame’s. I’d alternate between the two unless I find someone better.
Oh please do everyone a favor and just leave!! 😂😂😂
“Playing without a striker in a team like Milan is incredibly difficult because you lack an attacking threat, you lack confidence.”
Well, there is an actual striker available but Allegri refuses to use him.
Yep. Seems like the best thing to do would be play with Fullkrug up top and some combo of Leao, Puli, Alexis and Nkunku as wingers.
Or Santi instead of Fullkrug whenever he gets back. Either way you have a much better attack with everyone playing their natural roles AND you have depth to bring on impactful subs when needed.
Yep. You don’t need 6 scudetti to realize that…
There are a lot of hidden imbeciles in Italy. That’s all I have to say. The hate on Milan is so unimaginable forgetting that Milan serie A will be another Portuguese league.
Allegri should have realized this management is classic cost minimization, profit maximization modus operandi. Everything else is incidental including winning trophies. He’s was never getting in the winter transfer window to acquire players for a title push. He had a team for top 4… And that’s all that matter to them