GdS: ‘Rabiot for Max’ – why Allegri’s leader will be crucial for Milan’s present and future

If AC Milan are to reverse their recent negative run then Massimiliano Allegri will need leaders, starting with Adrien Rabiot.

La Gazzetta dello Sport (seen below) write this morning that Allegri – bereft of Luka Modric’s leadership – is asking Rabiot to take charge of Milan and lead them into the Champions League for 2026-27.

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The French midfielder didn’t shine against Sassuolo, like virtually all of his team-mates, but he remains one of the few in the squad accustomed to dealing with the pressure of difficult times at a top club.

The Rossoneri have made life difficult for themselves recently and have seen their rivals closing in, from fourth-placed Juventus to fifth-placed Roma. They are now just three points behind with three games to go, then sixth-placed Como are five points behind the Rossoneri.

In short, everything is still up for grabs, but Milan cannot afford to fail in their mission as Allegri himself has repeatedly emphasised: they must return to the Champions League.

A burning desire

If anyone can understand the importance of returning to play in Europe’s most important competition, it’s Rabiot. The Frenchman, in fact, hasn’t played in the Champions League since the 2022-23 season, when he was at Juventus with Max.

It is certainly an anomaly for a player of his calibre, a World Cup runner-up with France and an undisputed starter for his national team. The three-year abstinence wasn’t forced, truth be told, but rather the result of original and personal choices.

In 2023, the former PSG man – as a luxury free agent – ​​decided to sign a one-year contract extension with Juve so as not to abandon Allegri in his hour of need, after the penalty that had kept the Old Lady out of the European competitions.

In 2024, after the Livorno-born coach’s departure from Turin, he joined Marseille on a free transfer, who were without European football. Last summer, after finally securing Champions League qualification on the pitch with Marseille, a falling out with Rowe sent him to Milan.

In joining the Rossoneri, he found a club led by his coach and mentor, which is no coincidence. Now, the mission is to finish in the top four, to return with his friend Max to hear the music of the great European nights.

Character needed

With Modric at his side, Adrien Rabiot dominated the midfield from start to finish in other games. Without him it’s not the same, and the match in Reggio Emilia was further proof of that.

The former Ballon d’Or winner might only return for the final match of the season against Cagliari, so in the meantime, a top Rabiot is needed to control the middle of the park. No one at Milan knows Allegri like Adrien, and no one better than Max can demand an extra effort from the Frenchman.

The Rossoneri have been struggling for weeks, but it’s no coincidence that Rabiot has had a hand in their only two wins in the last seven: a goal in the 3-2 win against Torino, and a winner in the 1-0 win in Verona.

You can say anything about the former PSG and Juventus player, but he certainly has broad shoulders to take responsibility in the most delicate moments. That’s exactly what Allegri now demands of him, desperately searching for a solution to overcome the crisis.

Rabiot hopes to count on the support of Max’s other Praetorians. Specifically, Mike Maignan and Strahinja Pavlovic. Both the goalkeeper and the Serbian centre-back have the quality and personality to help Adrien lead the Rossoneri into Europe’s top competition.

Rabiot finally wants to return to that after a three-season absence, knowing that finishing in the top four would make it easier to restart next year with Max still in charge.