1 week ago
31
On Friday night AC Milan will hope to at least temporarily move four points clear at the top of Serie A, which would be a nice way to mark 100 days of Massimiliano Allegri’s second stint.
As Quotidiano Sportivo report this morning, Milan will attempt their first ‘mini-escape of the season’ in two days. It might just be a gap that exists for one night, or it could last for the entire weekend perhaps until the next midweek match.
Regardless of the outcome of the game at San Siro, the word ‘Scudetto’ remains a taboo within the camp. There are probably some within the dressing room dreaming and glimpsing the second star, but no one is talking about it outside. Not for now.
One of the rules imposed by Allegri when he returned to Milanello, resetting everything after a very difficult last season, is to remain humble and focused. He stated after the Juventus game: “When games can be won, they must be won. When they can’t be won, they must not be lost.”
These are nuggets of wisdom, but also the mentality of someone accustomed to success. This is Max, cleverly dodging the controversy after the fiery finale of the match won against Fiorentina and moving forward, with style.
It was clear to everyone that the Rossoneri, who were struggling with an identity crisis after a mediocre season that had seen them eliminated from every cup competition, needed a coach that was a guarantee. They have one, in every sense.
The fixer
The first 100 days of Allegri’s second term were supposed to be the most challenging, in theory. The transfer market had to be negotiated, the squad had to be re-motivated, objectives had to be set. And he had to start winning again, starting with the first Coppa Italia match.
Nothing was a given, because when you have to rebuild (almost) everything on the ruins of the recent past, it’s a tough job. During his presentation, he joked about ‘defensiveness’, rekindling the myth of the ‘corto muso’.
While it is true that the defence has become a brick wall that appears very difficult to break down, the data shows that Allegri is much more than ‘Mister 1-0’. Milan are top with five wins out of seven, 11 goals scored and just four conceded.
The coach deserves credit for both his on and off the field work. After the failure of his predecessor(s), Max has recreated a team spirit that had been lacking until a few months ago. He has been excellent at instilling confidence in everyone, placing the concept of unity at the centre.
He wanted a champion like Luka Modric, he insisted on not letting Adrien Rabiot slip away, he convinced Rafael Leao to stay by switching his role, he gave Santiago Gimenez new chances and relaunched Ruben Loftus-Cheek, among other bits of work.
Above all, he’s worked to transform everyone’s talent, experience and enthusiasm into ‘a sparkling and delicious cocktail’. The results are following, which was not a given with a team reduced to the bare bones for the Fiorentina game.
Any coach would have struggled on Sunday. Instead, Allegri was crystal clear in his decisions and his reading of the match. Most importantly, he managed to motivate the team, which had control of the game and the best opportunities for a winning comeback.
The season will be long, and there will be other difficult moments, like the one on the opening night with the home defeat against Cremonese. But for now, Milan and Allegri, free from European competition, are enjoying themselves.
English (US) ·