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Adrien Rabiot believes that Massimiliano Allegri and his staff are the main reason for AC Milan’s rapid turnaround from last season.
Milan had a chaotic 2024-25 in which they had two different Portuguese head coaches and did 11 deals in the January window after changing managers, which said a lot about how the pre-planning for the season had gone.
It was all-change in the summer again, with Igli Tare arriving as the sporting director and selecting Allegri quickly to become the new coach. While there are still doubts about how the mercato went, the on-field results have improved with the Rossoneri one point off top.
Rabiot on Allegri, Leao, Maignan and more
Rabiot was one of the summer additions that came in, and he gave an interview to Sky which was published on Christmas Eve, with the next game against Hellas Verona four days away. His words are via MilanNews.
How has the first half of the season gone?
“I felt comfortable here right away: we’ve had a good run in the league so far, and I hope to continue like this on a personal and team level. I wasn’t sure at the start because there were so many new players.
“Today I see the team working well; we immediately followed the coach’s instructions. I think we could have picked up a few more points, but we left a few by the wayside…”
Talk to us about those dropped points…
“We’re approaching matches in the wrong way mentally, maybe we’re relaxing a little too much, even thinking we’ve already achieved something great. Ultimately, you can pay for this, so we need to try to regain this solidity and maintain the same level against all teams.
“How do we do that? Maybe we, the more experienced players, also need to give the younger players a little more of a voice. I know it’s not easy for everyone to play at this level in a club like Milan that aims for great things and you always have to be on top of things.
“People ask for a lot, that’s normal for a team like that, and maybe it’s not always easy for everyone. But this makes you a strong player, whether you’re a great international or not. We also need to help others think differently and have the right approach.”
Who impressed you the most?
“For me, Loftus-Cheek has a lot of quality and potential. He was born in ’95 like me, so I’ve always seen him play. He has incredible potential, I even see it in training and I think he could do much more. If I have to name a truly strong player in this team, also because I’ve played against him, it’s him.”
What about Rafael Leao?
“It’s fair to say he also has potential: he’s strong, he’s proven it. But from what I saw when I arrived now, he’s already changed. His attitude on the pitch is already different, and it all starts from there: he has to maintain this.
“He’s a player with a lot of quality, and we know it well: he needs to continue to grow. Then it’s up to him, mentally, to understand where he wants to go.”
You reunited with Massimiliano Allegri…
“In my opinion, the thing that changed Milan from last year to this year isn’t a player, it’s not the team, but the coach and his staff. We all know Allegri: he’s good, it’s very important for a team to have such a good coach, both in terms of football and as a person.
Does he have an impact on your mentality?
“Yes, a lot. We know that football isn’t just a matter of legs, and the coach understood this a long time ago. It’s true, I have a different relationship with him: he spoke to me a lot right from the start, he helped me mentally. He understands me, sometimes even without speaking. That doesn’t happen with everyone.”
So your relationship with him is strong?
“Three or four years ago, there were other players at Juve who were older than me, with more experience, and this is the natural progression. I’ve grown, and the coach knows me well: he knows my mentality, my passion for football, and how I train.
“So he relies more on me, on the more experienced players we have on the team, like Mike [Maignan] and Gabbia, who’s been here a long time and knows this environment. We need these players to raise the level of the team.”
They call you the ‘crazy horse’…
“We haven’t talked much about his passion for horses, but I know he obviously likes it. I like this nickname! All the fans have picked it up, it’s nice.”
What are your childhood memories of Milan?
“I remember the Champions League final against Liverpool, the 3-3 draw. That’s really the image I have of Milan, it doesn’t matter if they won or lost. And I remember many players.
“Seedorf was powerful, Pirlo made incredible long passes. These are qualities I don’t have as well. I like watching the others and understanding what I’m missing.”
Is the Scudetto a realistic target?
“It’s difficult with a team like ours, because few players have won before and are used to aiming for victory in a season that is long and difficult. Finishing in the top four is the club’s overall goal, and we know it.
“Personally, I’m aiming for something bigger, because just because you can get ten, you can’t settle for six or seven. We have to give it everything we have, play every game at 100%, avoid dropping points along the way, and keep working because the season is still long and we’re not even halfway there. What we’ve done so far is good, but it’s not enough.”
Is it impossible to think about first place?
“No, it’s not impossible. What I say, and what I tell others, is that we must have this mentality of wanting to go even higher. We must make our less experienced teammates understand how wonderful it is to win. Here at Milan, it’s even more so.”
What is it like playing at San Siro?
“The Milan fans are amazing. I love playing in this environment, so we have to be aware of everything around us. We have to keep this in mind every time we step onto the pitch, whether at San Siro or when we play in other stadiums.”
Is it true you could have joined Milan before?
“Yes, it’s true. My mother spoke to Galliani, they know each other well. I don’t remember the exact season, but we spoke but didn’t reach an agreement. Milan have always been something big, so obviously every time a club like this comes, you listen to them. I don’t remember exactly why we didn’t close.”
What are Milan to you?
“Special because they’re known all over the world. We saw it in Riyadh, for example. Or in America, there are so many fans and that makes you understand the greatness of the club, its entire history.
“When I came with Juve, I didn’t really realise this, but now that I’m at Milan, I see the fans in the stadium, outside, and I understand what Milan is.”
What is your relationship like with Maignan? Will he renew?
“He spoke to me three or four years ago: he tried to get me to come to Milan. He’s a friend, but above all, he’s a strong, very strong player: there are few goalkeepers like him in football.
“I won’t get into anything related to this, but as a Milan player, I obviously hope he stays because he’s difficult to replace. There are things we talk about among ourselves, obviously, but there’s no player who doesn’t want to keep him in the team.
“He has the trust and respect of all his teammates: everyone loves him because he’s a genuine person. We need him; we’ve seen at the start of this season what he can do, how he can decide matches.
“I don’t know what will happen, but he’s been at Milan for many years and he’s someone who matters to the club and its history.”
How would you celebrate the title?
“My dream is to do everything I can to win this year and then continue to grow, because there’s always room for improvement. I don’t have any tattoos, but I might get one if we win the championship. It would be an even more important tattoo.
“I consider myself a person who thinks carefully before doing things. And, yes, for a victory like that, I could really consider it…”
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