Home » Individual chats, laughs, boos and new faces: The signs from day one of AC Milan’s preseason
AC Milan Massimiliano Allegri looks on during a AC Milan ricci leao
Features News

Individual chats, laughs, boos and new faces: The signs from day one of AC Milan’s preseason

Photos: Claudio Villa/AC Milan via Getty Images

The first open training session of the 2025 preseason took place on Monday evening for AC Milan, and there were some interesting signs.

It was a busy day for the new head coach Massimiliano Allegri, who firstly led the team in a morning session at Milanello. Once that was done, he travelled to Casa Milan for his unveiling press conference, speaking at length alongside Igli Tare about the plans for 2025-26 and beyond.

Read SempreMilan ad-free and get access to exclusive news. Click here for a free trial!

Then, he shuttled back to Milanello in order to be with the team for the second session of the day on the outdoor pitch. It had already been declared that this would be an open training meaning fans could be there, and there was largely a warm welcome.

The Curva Sud were absent from the raduno for the second straight year, but there were still some interesting signs that came from the evening training.

A chat before and a warm welcome

As the supporters waited outside the fence for the team to come out, a banner was unveiled that simple read: “Welcome back Max.” It would be fair to say the return of the coach 11 years after his first stint ended has reignited some enthusiasm after a dreadful 2024-25 campaign.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by MilanNews.it (@milannewsitofficial)

Also present was Zlatan Ibrahimovic, the Senior Advisor of RedBird Capital Partners, who stopped to talk with Allegri after greeting all the players.

The Livorno-born coach and the former Swedish striker won the 2010-11 Scudetto together, the 18th in the history of the Rossoneri. They had a fairly long conversation and a hug that was nostalgic, but also positive for the future.

A hostile reception

According to what is being reported by MilanNews, there were two members of the current management that did not quite get the same positive reaction that others did.

The CEO Giorgio Furlani arrived by car at the training ground and he was booed by some Milan fans. Even though he has in theory ‘stepped aside’ a bit more, given the hiring of a new director in Tare, it showed where the sentiment of sections of the fan base is.

Then, Paolo Scaroni – the club’s president – also entered the scene at this moment and was similarly greeted by some boos from the supporters present.

Gabbia leads the way, new men sighted

Reports emerged on Friday that Matteo Gabbia was the first person to arrive at the training complex in Carnago, even beating Allegri by a few minutes.

As the players strolled out onto the lush outdoor pitch at Milanello, Gabbia was leading them again. It’s probably nothing, but it could also be something given Allegri wants to lean into Milanismo and the sense of belonging.

One of the key additions to the staff is Bernardo Corradi. The former Inter, Lazio and Manchester City striker left a position as Italy U20 national team coach to join back up with Allegri, and this is not something to be underestimated.

Corradi is a very highly rated coach, having worked his way up from Italy U16 in 2019 to Italy U20. To poach him from the FIGC can only be a good thing.

Speaking of new faces, Samuele Ricci got a run-out in front of the Milanisti for the first time. His signing was made official on Friday and he has taken the number four shirt.

Individual chats and a huddle

What was interesting to note was that Allegri was not frightened to pull certain players to one side during the session, presumably for some words of advice and/or some encouragement.

He grabbed Alex Jimenez, a player that will have an interesting role in the season to come. With the switch to a 3-4-3 under Sergio Conceicao he was the starting wing-back, but presuming Allegri goes with a flat back four, it remains to be seen whether the Spaniard will be used as a full-back or winger.

Strahinja Pavlovic falls into the category of a player with an intriguing fate. He was not an established starter in the first part of last season but, just like Jimenez, the change to three-at-the-back helped him cement a spot. Will he be part of the first choice centre-back pairing?

One of the heart-warming bits to see was Rafael Leao chatting with Max and having a chuckle. Given that the coach wants to take him to the next level – as confirmed in his presser today – the fact that they have instantly struck up a positive relationship seems like a good sign.

Finally, we end with the huddle that the new coach called everyone in for. Togetherness and unity has been one of the key messages preached (and by Allegri himself) given how fragmented and disjointed everything felt last season. Let’s hope that all these good indications manifest into an excellent season.

Tags AC Milan Giorgio Furlani Massimiliano Allegri Paolo Scaroni Zlatan Ibrahimovic

13 Comments

  1. It’s so nice to see this new atmosphere. Happy players, Max already giving some instructions, united group. I feel this is gonna be a very good season. Come on boys!

        1. If you can get your head out of Paolo’s behind, you could go and check videos and games from Milan pre season last year, both in Milanello and while on tour in the US.
          Everything changed when your fellow Maldini fanboy came in and started poisoning the well, sabotaging the new coach, his teammates, and Milan whole season.
          Milan finally removed the cancer from their locker room.
          It was also a conspiracy that no one in Europe wanted the clown, right? The reputation follows him. Teams know who he is, that’s why they stayed as far away as they can from him.
          Atletico Madrid, the only team who was willing to sign him as a favor to his agent, just paid more money for Ruggeri to be their left back than they were willing to pay for the Paolo dependent.
          Conspiracy right? 🤣🤣🤣

          1. How fascinating that you elaborate fastidious fairy tales in your mind while denying what’s in plain sight. Milan was a top European team two years ago. Changes have been made by the people in charge. Milan is now out of any European competition.

        2. How fascinating is that you can’t stay on a subject when you get exposed, but move on to something else.
          Let’s elaborate the fastidious fairy tales in my mind, while bringing to light what YOU can’t see in plain sight.
          You said i was a conspiracist because I said that Theo Hernández was the reason the atmosphere at Milan was ruined with his arrival from holidays.
          Milan had a great pre season, they even played well with a bunch of young players ( everything can be checked), and then at the beginning of August the clown show arrived to town.
          Remember a bunch of you were excusing Theo and Leao’s clownish behavior for not respecting the coach because the coach didn’t have the resume to coach 2 clowns “superstars ” like them?
          Remember those 2 clowns distancing themselves from the coach and teammates in the 3rd game of the season?
          Remember the clown disrespecting penalty hierarchy, taking the ball from Pulisic and missing the penalty?
          Remember that same clown after that same game getting a red card for mouthing off to the ref, leading to missing an important game vs Napoli?
          Remember who dived unnecessary in a UCL knockout stage game, got himself sent off and got Milan knocked out of the UCL?
          Remember him being the worst defender in the league?
          But according to you, Milan is chasing away players that love the club. What did you say under another post, it’s a sin to love the club these days?
          If that’s loving the club i don’t think you grasp the concept of love.
          Milan hasn’t been a top European team for 15 years. One fluke scudetto, doesn’t make you a top European club.
          A d gues who was the leader of the team that finished 8th and missed European competitions next season?
          That would be the pink haired 🤡. The 🤡 was even stripped from being a captain during the season.
          And yes, no actual top European club, or any European club, participating in European competitions or not, wanted Hernández. Why is that? I wonder?
          Good riddance!

          1. It makes no sense to me. I use to read your comments thinking that you’re an Inter fan and it usually makes sense. Only Inter fans could root for the huge liability that the current management is.

            “Fluke scudetto”? And again trying to minimise the successful job that the previous management achieved to bring us a top European team? Yeah man a team with a scudetto and a run to UCL semifinals in two seasons, with star players and the 2022 sporting director of the year, can be considered a top European club.

  3. This isn’t those two Portuguese amateurs who basically tried their luck in a top league. A proper Italian coach to lead the troops.

  4. With the current squad a 343 is our best option. Ricci and Fofana in the middle of the park with Jimenez and salad as wingbacks.

  5. Coaches be coaching…
    Same euphoria as last year. Only here can hype up a training session like no other lol

Comments are closed

As featured on NewsNow: AC Milan news Football News 24/7
Sign up for our newsletter
Follow us