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AC Milan head coach Massimiliano Allegri has provided an update on returning players, while urging the team to keep the levels high against Parma.
It has been a good last few days for Milan as we approach the final international break of 2025. Firstly, a huge 1-0 win over Roma put the Rossoneri back within one point of top spot, and saw them bring up 10 games unbeaten across all competitions.
Then, there was the news that Christian Pulisic has recovered and will be in the squad for Saturday’s game against Parma, while he and the recovering Adrien Rabiot have not been called up by the USA and France for their upcoming internationals.
With the derby on the horizon on November 23 – the first game back after the break – Milan can afford no distractions as they aim to win and put pressure on Napoli, Roma and Inter, who all play after the Diavolo this weekend.
Allegri’s pre-Parma presser
Allegri spoke to the journalists who gathered in the press conference room at Milanello on the eve of the trip to Emilia, and his words were transcribed by MilanNews.
So far, Milan have done very well in the six-pointers. Tomorrow, however, they face a different opponent…
“Tomorrow we know we’ll face a team that has always fought on the pitch. Even the last one, despite being down to 10 men. They’re a team that lifts the ball a lot. Pellegrino is very good in the aerial duels.
“Playing in Parma is never easy, last year Milan lost. This year, between Pisa and Cremonese, we only got one point. We need to prepare mentally for a game that won’t be great. Their high-lifting of the ball doesn’t allow you to play well.
“We haven’t won away from home since Udine. We’ve recovered Pulisic, who will be available, Estupinan and Jashari have improved their fitness. Rabiot will remain out, but he’ll be back after the break, as will Gimenez.”
How many minutes does Pulisic have in his legs? Is Leao still a striker in your eyes?
“Pulisic has had two training sessions with the team. He’s doing well physically, he doesn’t need to work too hard to get back into shape. I don’t know how many minutes he’s got.
“Leao and Nkunku played very well as centre-forwards against Roma. Nkunku isn’t very physically strong, but he held his own against Roma’s defenders. Leao needs to improve his fitness, he’s been out for a long time.
“It’s normal for him to play those games, not for them to be sporadic. And that goes for everyone. Tomorrow we have another match where we need another three points. We need to play well technically and make few mistakes. Against Roma, we made a lot of mistakes in the first half hour.”
Do you remember that victory with a 40-yard goal by Andrea Pirlo in 2010?
“Andrea scored a wonderful goal, but it was a very close match, like all the games in Parma and all the league games. When we have the ball, we need to be quick in passing it. When we don’t, we need to play well defensively, and I’m talking about the whole team, not just the defenders.”
Are you missing a centre-forward?
“We have Gimenez, who can give us a lot. Maybe we can even play without a centre-forward. There are seasons when you can play without a penalty area man. That said, Leao and Nkunku can play as a centre-forward.”
What problems are Milan having against the ‘lesser’ sides?
“It’s just that we conceded goals. Football is strange. We need to reflect on what happened; it’s not just a coincidence. Against Cremonese, we conceded two goals from crosses. Against Pisa, we didn’t close out the game.
“When we realise our opponents are struggling, we have to try to push them to the limit and keep the game open. Games you don’t finish off can end badly: Parma were playing in Rome and it seemed over, then they score in the 85th minute and it’s a different game.
“We have to be in the game until the referee blows his whistle. Tomorrow, Parma will be looking for a breakthrough because they’re coming off a poor record and playing against Milan. We have to get to their mental level and run like them. If we can run like them, our technical qualities, which are superior, will emerge.”
What work have you done on the defensive department?
“I don’t know about last year’s defence, I just know that I asked the guys to reduce the number of goals they conceded. Because that’s the number that ultimately matters most in the league to reach a certain position in the standings.
“If you concede 50 goals in a season, you need to score 150 to finish in the top four. The goal difference is the same as it was 70 years ago. If the goals scored and goals conceded are close, it’s difficult to finish in the top six. If the gap is wide, then you’ll finish in the top four.
“To do this, the whole team needs to work in a certain way when we don’t have the ball. We also need to improve our conversion rate. It’s not like we can score one goal out of six chances with Pavlovic, who made a wonderful move as a striker, and Leao played him a beautiful ball. We need to improve on that.”
You are on 99 wins with Milan. Next up…
“Let’s hope so. But not for the 100 wins, but for the three points. Which is more important.”
Are you already thinking of the derby?
“We’re not thinking about that, we’re thinking about tomorrow’s match, which is worth three points, just like the derby and the other games. It’s not about approaching the derby calmly, but about having a calm break.
“When we get to the derby, it will be a wonderful match, a wonderful evening. But the most important match is the one that’s played immediately.”
Are you talking to Maignan about his future?
“I always tell the guys that when we’re at Milan, all of us, not just the players, have to work every day with passion to create the conditions to achieve results, because we have to keep the Milan shirt. Because when we leave Milan, we don’t necessarily go back.
“Maignan is a great goalkeeper, the club is planning Milan’s future, and so Tare and Furlani are there to think about the best for Milan. We have to stay focused on the final objective: finishing the top four to get back into the Champions League.”
Gimenez’s recovery time?
“I think he’ll be available for the derby, we’ll see. If he’s not available, he won’t be there. It’s simple.”
How does the dressing room feel about being high in the table?
“As for the standings, we’re only on matchday ten. I’ve learned over the years that the first six months are preparation for the final rush, so they need to be done well. In March, you need to be in top form to compete for the top four spots.
“The road is long, and you also need to have mini-goals, which are the matches we play. Tomorrow is a mini-goal to achieve to improve our position in the table and stay in the top spots.”
Does Modric make a difference in defence too?
“Modric understands where the ball goes first, but the whole team defends when they don’t have the ball to avoid conceding goals. Then we need to improve our finishing: compared to the chances we have, our conversion rate is very high.”
Could you play a 4-3-3 with Pulisic, Leao and Nkunku or Gimenez plus two?
“We’ll see this throughout the season. There are times when you can play with three forwards. It’s a growth the team can make during the season if the need arises and the team can sustain it. It’s not like we’re guaranteed to win if we start with four strikers – there are also substitutions.
“It all depends on the players’ willingness when we don’t have the ball. In today’s football, we can’t afford to defend with seven or eight men. Because then, when you get the ball, those seven defenders aren’t very sharp to attack.”
Is there a unity within the squad?
“Let’s say there’s a good harmony within Milanello because everyone at Milanello is a part of the team’s successes. The players just have to focus on doing well and bringing us wins.
“We have to keep our feet on the ground, there are always unexpected things along the way, and we have to be resilient in times of difficulty. We all have to be clear about the ultimate goal: finishing in the top four.”
Are Milan the hunter or the hare for the Scudetto?
“Start again… (laughs). It’s better if I don’t make jokes, because I’m from Livorno and some people might get the wrong impression. I prefer to listen. I don’t like to hunt… (smiles). Lazio is coming back, Inter and Napoli are the favourites, Juve will be one of the candidates.
“Roma are doing a great job, and Atalanta will be back. It’ll be a great season, so we need to follow up on the results. That’s why we need to be in the best possible shape in March. It would be even better if we don’t talk, because I already talk too much. Stay quiet and focus.”
Buffon says your teams are orderly and have a recognisable identity…
“It’s not that I have to give myself an Allegri identity, it’s not that Milan is mine. The club has given me very good players, we all have to reach the objective together. I was lucky enough to coach Buffon, I agree, you have to have balance in both phases.
“Among other things, once we won a match 4-3 and Gigi was furious when he came back to the dressing room. I was really lucky to work with him and to see him save, it was extraordinary.”
With the absences, new solutions have emerged…
“The injuries we’ve had have been transformed into opportunities for those who haven’t played as much. Everything that happens should be seen as an opportunity to be seized.
“Rabiot and Pulisic’s injuries have given others the chance to play and get playing time, and so far, and hopefully tomorrow, they’ve also brought results.”
Milan are a more cautious team and don’t press much. Is this a positive quality, or does it need improvement?
“I’m very basic. I struggle to understand these PPDA numbers. We can improve our possession phase in the opposition’s half because sometimes we’re too hasty, but it also depends on the players’ characteristics. We have instinctive players who are quick to finish off plays.
“Modric can help us a lot by lowering or raising the tempo. We need to be a little higher up in the pressure phase, but the players’ characteristics need to be respected.”
If finishing in the top four is the ‘macro’ objective, then what word do we use for the Scudetto?
“I don’t know what word would be useful for the Scudetto. I only know one thing: it’s connected. If we’re in the top four in March, it means we’re right there. Then, when we see where we are in March, we’ll have our chances to play for our chances of finishing in the top four or better.
“The clear objective is to finish in the top four, but it shouldn’t be limiting. When you’re at Milan, you have to start aiming for maximum results, aiming for the top four. But bringing Milan back to the Champions League is already an important achievement.
“Both financially for the club – just look at the revenues of other teams in Europe – and in technical terms, because playing in the Champions League is a wonderful thing. That’s why we mustn’t lose sight of our goal of finishing in the top four: we’ll have to arrive in March in the best possible shape.”
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