CorSport: What Allegri told Milan squad in dressing room after Fiorentina comeback

AC Milan are back at the top of Serie A, and it is largely thanks to the impact that the new head coach Massimiliano Allegri has had.

As Corriere dello Sport report, Allegri has restored the united spirit and style of play that had been missing for months. The results are proving the coach right, as he returns to being the sole leader of Serie A since May 2019 , when he won the Scudetto with Juventus.

Allegri was also first in the 2023-24 season on matchday 21, but in that case, Inter had a game in hand. Today, however, the Rossoneri can enjoy first place alone, at least until the weekend. A win against Pisa on Friday night would ensure they retain it.

Reading and leader

Against Fiorentina, Milan once again demonstrated their excellent game plan. The absences would have disheartened anyone but not Allegri, who knew how to manage the situation perfectly and deployed his strength impeccably.

With his usual irony after the 2-1 victory, he talked about luck in his reading of the match. In reality, Allegri had been preparing for the game this way since the previous Thursday, when he learned he wouldn’t be able to count on other forwards.

So, he left Santiago Gimenez on the bench to have a suitable substitution in the second half and brought on Leao from the start, energising and motivating the Portuguese in the best possible way. The result? A brace for Rafa and a decisive introduction for the Mexican.

Photo by AC Milan

It wasn’t just the two forwards; the entire team contributed to the victory against the Tuscans, even with players out of position due to numerous absences or making their first start, like Zachary Athekame.

Furthermore, Allegri had only five outfield players on the bench, including two recruited from Milan Futuro. The Livorno-born coach has instilled a winning mentality in his team, and the facts prove it: Milan are solid and entertaining, but also know to react to adversity.

Indeed, against Fiorentina, they managed to turn the match around with a spirited response to Gosens’ goal. The other message Allegri sent to the dressing room after the victory was that the marathon is still very long.

In essence, he told the team that no one should get too excited: the season has just begun, and everything still needs to be earned and fought for on the pitch. Allegri then urged the players to manage their condition as best they can in preparation for the match against Pisa.