Numbers show Milan use by far the least substitutions – Allegri’s defiant response

Massimiliano Allegri is the coach who has used the least substitutions in Serie A so far this season, but he doesn’t see it as a big deal.

The depth of Milan’s squad has been called into question several times in 2025-26 already, with the decision made to go into the campaign with only 19 outfield players following a major summer streamlining mission.

The Rossoneri do not have European football so they mostly play once per week, but the batch of injuries that came during the October international break shows just how delicate the numerical situation is.

An interesting stat has surfaced: Milan are last in Serie A in terms of number of substitutions made with 42 changes made in 12 games (therefore out of a possible 60). This is an average of 3.5 per game, out of the five permitted.

The total number is 10 behind Parma, who have made 52 changes and are the penultimate side in the rankings. Looking at rivals, the Diavolo are 16 substitutions behind rivals Inter and Napoli, and 17 behind league-leaders Roma.

Allegri is the only coach in the league to have had a game where he used only two substitutions, and in seven matches he has made only three subs. Only five teams have matched that but they have done it in isolation, i.e. in just the one game.

Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images

Allegri’s response

Allegri has made five substitutions in just three matches. The notion was put to him in his pre-Lazio press conference that the team are suffering from having a lack of depth and therefore the necessary options to make changes, but he played down the issue.

“[It is] Absolutely not a small squad. We’ve been missing Rabiot, Pulisic, and Estupinan in the last month” he began by saying.

“Sometimes substitutions are needed, but sometimes they’re not needed, or you make them just for the sake of it, and that’s not good. Substitutions should be made when needed; sometimes there aren’t any matches where they’re not needed.

“In the last month, five players have returned from the national team, practically dead. I couldn’t let them play. The squad size is right. The club is working to plan like the Milan of recent years.

“January is a strange transfer window… Bringing in players who aren’t needed… We have players who are growing and who can give us much more in the second half of the season.”