Vitiello: Milan raise the ‘bar of ambition’ under Allegri’s demands – the impact so far

There can be no denying that this season, AC Milan are back to being a serious contender in Serie A. The reasoning is clear: Massimiliano Allegri.

When there was a chance that Allegri could have gone elsewhere this summer, Milan acted quickly to secure the best manager on the market for their project. A proven winner with a clear identity, something that has been missing for a while.

So far, the decision is paying off massively. The Rossoneri have been deemed one of the best teams in the league this season, and they sit in third, with Scudetto ambitions credible after beating Napoli, deservedly.

Proof in the pudding

Compared to last season, there is a clear idea against top teams, and the results are already better. Yet, there is still dissatisfaction with the result from this weekend, suggesting how high the demands are.

This morning, Antonio Vitiello wrote about the season so far for MilanNews and how Allegri’s impact is visible.

“With Max Allegri’s arrival at Milan, the bar of ambition has been raised. It was a natural and inevitable transition. Rightly so, after all, we’re talking about one of the most successful coaches in Serie A in recent years.

“Now, a draw at Juventus is no longer enough. The disappointment of having thrown away two points and not having won at Juventus stems precisely from this. From the Rossoneri’s renewed ambition thanks to Max Allegri.

“After all, Milan had 4-5 clear chances to score and failed to do so, and this requires important reflection.

Photo by AC Milan

“The Rossoneri create, but chances must be capitalised on. Hence, the anger of Allegri and Rabiot at the end of the match. “When there’s a moment to bite the opponent, you have to bite.” And Milan didn’t do that at the Allianz Stadium.

“The Rossoneri are now a solid and organised team. So much so that they’ve already kept four clean sheets in the first six league games, numbers that underscore how the defence has become a bunker again.

“The last time this happened was almost twenty years ago, with Ancelotti on the bench in the 2006/07 season. The credit goes not only to the three defenders but to the entire team and the invaluable support of the midfield. Allegri has done an exceptional job in this regard.