Max Allegri has highlighted the need for hard work in AC Milan’s upcoming clash against Lecce, though the lack of depth is making things complicated.
As highlighted by Gazzetta dello Sport this morning, Allegri made it clear during his pre-match presser that there is “a desire for redemption” in the squad. One wouldn’t have expected anything else, following the defeat to Cremonese in the season opener.
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Hard work is the only way
Tonight, a win is needed not only to get back on their feet but also to start running. To quote the head coach once more, they need to “run at least as fast as our opponents. We need to get on their level, only then can our technical qualities emerge”.

Allegri is calling for a dirty, aggressive game, despite the presence of a Ballon d’Or winner, Luka Modric. The coach wants competitive determination and a provincial attitude, so that Milan can then leverage their quality and get the better of their opponents. Essentially everything that wasn’t seen in their debut.
As such, Allegri has decided to add more muscle to the midfield by fielding Yunus Musah, who in just a few hours, has gone from being an outcast and nearing a sale to becoming a starter again. A choice but also a necessity due to Christian Pulisic’s absence.
Indeed, Alexis Saelemaekers will move up the pitch and play alongside Santiago Gimenez in a completely improvised attack.
Lack of depth causes issues
As the newspaper continues, Pulisic has a minor injury so he should be on the bench, ready to come on if the game requires it. The only ‘proper’ attacking option on the bench is thus Samuel Chukwueze, who unlike Musah, will be on the bench and then leave (for Fulham, most likely).
“If we have a plan B in attack? We’ll manage somehow,” Allegri said with a smile during his presser. In the meantime, he’s putting a lot of faith in Gimenez: “Santi, at the moment, is the only striker we have available. I’ve known him for twenty days; he’s a good player, and we all expect a lot from him.”
The only area that doesn’t seem to change is the defence, even though it has been heavily criticised. Matteo Gabbia has the advantage over Koni De Winter, while Fikayo Tomori and Strahinja Pavlovic are keeping their spots as well.




He has always been in love with runners! hope this brawn-with-no-brain approach can get us some points.
He’s clearly delusional. What is the point of the “muscle”, what good these” muscle” did last season?
You need to field Ricci & start playing technical football, you old stupid fart.
RuZZians have a saying: “who needs brains, when you have strength…”
Also, I have never felt that RuZZian way ever resulted in anything positive…
Moderators, remove this nazi from the comments section please. This is not a place for political slurs.
What is best he is probably from some African nation that enslaved their own people and sold them, not that long ago. I have a feeling.
Learn History. The Russians precipitated the fall of Napoléon and Hitler.
The Russians? Or the Russian winters? 😉 Stalingrad is where it all started to turn on Hitler…
I guess neither of them learned from the Teutonic knights and their attempts in the 1200’s.
King, I knew you’re a complete re*ard, I was just being nice to you until now. That has ended. How re*arded do you have to be to write anything about any nation here? Who cares mo*on?
We may be lucky and get a draw, but with Fofana and RLC supposedly ‘immovable’, I fear we could already be 6 points behind after this round of matches..
I agree it’s has to be either Fofona or RLV never both except we don’t want to hurt our opponents. Mike, Koni, Gabbia, Tomori, Estupinia, Ricci, Fofona, Modric, Jimenez, Chukwueze, Giminez. From 1-3-2-2-2-1 with Chukwueze and Modric as the 2 behind Giminez while Estupina and Jiminez as wingers to 4-3-3 with Chuks, Modic and Salemaakus behind Giminez.
Why the …. is Ricci not starting? He did not even feature in the first game, while RLC & Fofana played like s..t!!! Things like this make me angry, especially seeing that Ricci was probably one of our best players in preseason. At least start Ricci in front of the defense and RLC/Fofana & Modric to flank him. With Ricci in the team we are more balanced.
More muscle but less brain😁
Injury crisis Will arise higher
Next year no UCL spot again
Muscle is for when the opponent is going to be better than you, attacking you and you want to send a message. Not when you’re the one trying to carve out a space in your opponent 🤦♂️
Exactly he’s talking about we need to matscht hem like we was the underdogs😂 he turns us into underdogs bruh
Match them*
Allegri plays like ACM is a little team.
I would rather see some quality than muscle
Put Jimenez and Saladmaker on the wings.
Fofana, Ricci, Modric
Gimenez and Chucky up front
I mean we are getting Akanji from Temu in the end, so I can understand him. Play the worst possible team and pray that it helps get a few more signings in.
I’m telling you, that’s what he did against Cremonese. LOL!!!
Allegri always was a “coward” tactics wise. Instead of using tactical ideas, technical players to open up defence he prefers to land Fofana, RLC, Musah and hope that at some point one of them will force his way into box and create an opportunity, but considering that most seria A teams have quite big defenders and are pretty decent on average oir hope is 1-0 and sit tight and wait till opposing team starts to leave spaces, cause they need to attack more. If we concede goal first we’re screwed.