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AC Milan have made an encouraging start to the season, at least with regards to fixing what has been their biggest defect over the past three seasons.
When Milan conceded twice at home against Cremonese in the first Serie A game of the season, it seemed difficult to imagine that after three games we would be talking about statistically one of the best defences in Europe.
Yet, over the four-game sample size that we have available, Massimiliano Allegri’s stamp on this team can already be seen. He wants to build a solid platform from which to flourish, and that means patching up a leaky rearguard.
So far, so good
The Rossoneri faithful were stunned when a newly-promoted side netted twice at San Siro and emerged with three points. It felt like a dagger through the season’s ambitions after just 90 minutes: how could Allegri not even get anything against presumed ‘minnows’.
Fast-forward to Sunday night, around 23:00 CEST, and Bologna were trudging off the same field having not even managed a shot on target in 99 minutes of play, including stoppage time. It was a third clean sheet in four competitive games for Milan, who have conceded once in just shy of 400 minutes.
The comparison with last season shows the improvement, too. Paulo Fonseca’s men – after three games in the league – had already conceded 53 shots in total. Opponents were averaging 1.79 xG (Expected Goals) per game, and the defensive record would be the Portuguese’s undoing in part.
In 2025-26 so far, the other team have only shot at Milan’s goal 16 times and that xG figure stands at 0.23 per game. In those two categories – shots and Expected Goals against – the Diavolo are head and shoulders above the rest of the continent.
#ACMilan have conceded the least xG (Expected Goals) per 90 of any team in Europe's top five leagues (0.23) so far in 2025-26.
They have also conceded the least shots cumulatively of any European side, with 16.
[via @Gazzetta_it] pic.twitter.com/BoCwyncEVc
— MilanData📊 (@acmilandata) September 17, 2025
There are some obvious things to consider, such as strength of opponent. Milan have faced two strong relegation candidates (at least per the bookmakers) and still conceded twice in one game, while Bologna have only scored one goal all year so they are not exactly firing.
And yet, in the ‘top five’ European leagues – in which 98 teams compete – the other 97 are not close. The second-highest number of shots conceded is St. Pauli (with 23), second in the Bundesliga, but even they have seven more than Milan.
Looking at Expected Goals Against – which measures the quality of chances given to opponents – Nantes are second at 0.46. That is double the number that the Rossoneri have. The conclusion is obvious: any team in Europe gives at least twice as many scoring chances as Allegri’s.
Consistency is key
It was 11 months ago that we published a Devil’s Advocate column which addressed just how problematic it was that Fonseca could not settle on a first choice back four. He never did, and he only lasted another 15 games or so from that piece.
It wasn’t just a Fonseca thing, though. Milan let in 69 goals across all competitions in 2023-24 and 49 in Serie A alone. Having to consistently rely on the attack to score goals in bunches was not sustainable, as Stefano Pioli found out when he ultimately lost his job.
In fact, it was during the post-Scudetto season of 2022-23 that we first brought a particular problem to light, which was that due to a combination of injuries and rotations Milan were failing to name a settled defensive line from one game to the next.
The title-winning campaign was made possible by being strong at the back, as Milan let in just two goals in the final 11 league games of the season, with nine clean sheets. Why? Largely because the same quartet were the bedrock.
Davide Calabria was the right-back, Pierre Kalulu was the right centre-back, Fikayo Tomori was next to him as the left-sided central defender and then Theo Hernandez was the left-back. The more they played together the more understanding bred and the more watertight they became.
Mike Maignan, Fikayo Tomori, Matteo Gabbia, Strahinja Pavlovic. Milan fans have almost got used to glancing past the back four players when reading the starting XI announcement is made, and that is a really good thing. Even Alexis Saelemaekers and Pervis Estupinan have been fixed barring one game where the Belgian was played higher.
We’d only be repeating what was said before, but having an established and settled three/five-man defence is helping Allegri build what he wants above all else: stability. The merits of each individual defender can be and have been debated, though as a unit they seem to be growing weekly.
What was also obvious against Bologna is that Milan have developed a streetwise edge too, typical of Max’s teams. They know the moments of games to let the opponent have the ball and almost tire themselves out. The rearguard sometimes bends, but it doesn’t break.
That is refreshing, because too many times in the past three years it has parted like the red sea at the first bit of pressure, folding like a wave. There is a very basic but profound principle in football: if you do not concede, you cannot lose.
With Milan’s attacking talent at the other end – and even the new-found midfield leadership – they will win the vast majority of games in which they don’t let a goal in. That, in itself, is a successful alchemy that even the most ardent Allegri sceptics cannot deny.
What comes now?
The coach said something very interesting in his post-match press conference following the victory against the Rossoblu a few days ago. In response to a question about this being the Milan he had in mind, the first thing he uttered told a story.
“If we want to finish in the top four, we need to concede a certain number of goals. We created chances and played a very good game. Even when Bologna had control, we didn’t concede anything and stayed organised,” he said.
It doesn’t take a codebreaker to realise that Allegri and the team have a target number in mind when it comes to goals conceded. Perhaps it is to concede less than one goal per game on average. His unveiling presser also spoke volumes.
“In the last 20 years there has only been one season where the best defence didn’t win the league: Sarri’s year at Juve when he conceded 43 goals. A great team scores 60 to 80 goals, if you concede 40 you can’t get into the top four.”
The start has been good, so expect more of the same, because Allegri has settled on what he believes to be a good mix. Round pegs appear to be in round holes: Tomori and Pavlovic look good as outside centre-backs, and Gabbia has always been a natural middle anchor.
🛡 Three clean sheets out of four
🥇 Least shots conceded of any team in Europe
🥇 Least xG against of any team in Europe
🔧 Has Allegri fixed #ACMilan’s defence? Tell us your thoughts 👇 pic.twitter.com/5l8ce7ImTq
— SempreMilanTV (@SempreMilanTV) September 17, 2025
The first challenge might be just around the corner. Pavlovic went off at half-time in the win over Bologna with what was reportedly a flexor issue, and while scans have ruled out any serious muscle injury, he is unlikely to play against Udinese on Saturday.
So, Allegri will have to make his first change to the back three. Thankfully, Koni De Winter is somebody that he knows very well from his time at Juventus and he passed the 45-minute test against the Rossoblu without being noticed (which, as a central defender, is a positive thing).
With Udinese and Lecce (Coppa Italia) on the horizon, the target is clear: two more clean sheets. After that the litmus tests against Napoli, Juventus, Fiorentina, Atalanta, Roma, Inter and Lazio all await, who the Rossoneri play in a nine-game stretch before the end of November.
Bigger examinations of the new defensive unit are waiting on the horizon, therefore. A tour de force is best approached with certainties in place, and Milan will hope that Allegri’s new defence will be the biggest one.
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