From San Siro to Scrutiny: Milan’s Defense Stumbles in a 2-2 Tie with Sassuolo
14 December 2025
Allegri laments Milan’s defensive lapses as Sassuolo salvage a 2-2 draw
Massimiliano Allegri, Milan’s coach, admitted his team’s defense allowed easy goals and that some details were not handled well in the 2-2 Serie A draw with Sassuolo at San Siro.
Sassuolo, a side on the rise, forced the stalemate and continued Milan’s challenging run against teams from the lower tiers this season, following earlier draws with Cremonese and Pisa.
Davide Bartisagi scored his first two league goals for Milan, but Ismael Koné and Arman Lorente gave Sassuolo the equalizer and left San Siro with a precious point.
Ahead of the game, Allegri told DAZN that Milan played well going forward and pressed strongly, but Sassuolo’s quality in transition made it dangerous. He added that if you don’t win the ball back quickly, you end up defending for 90 minutes.
“We played well, but we took risks,” he said. “We were close to losing and needed to defend better, especially on the second goal. It was very easy for them to score.”
He then noted the performance of the players, insisting that they deserved credit for their effort, and that Milan remain top of the Serie A table with a clear objective to reach the Champions League. “There is still a lot of work to do and we must concede fewer goals,” he added. He refused to blame the players for the result today.
On the substitution of Christian Pulisic in the second half, Allegri clarified that the decision was not tied to the upcoming Super Cup against Napoli in Saudi Arabia, saying: “I would have done it anyway. Christian joined us in Turin after a fever, trained, and he played 72 minutes. We needed an extra midfielder then.”
“Loftus-Cheek held his own up front, but we needed better defensive balance,” he added, praising the performances that kept Milan organized in several phases of the game.
Allegri also praised Christopher Nkunku for the assist that set up the second goal and noted that the team cannot win every match, but should maintain consistency. “Today we were close to losing, but we earned a point that could prove valuable,” he concluded.
Looking ahead, Milan will shift focus to the Italian Super Cup, facing Napoli in Saudi Arabia in the semi-final scheduled for Thursday.
Finally, the coach provided an update on Matteo Gabbia, who left the pitch with a knee concern: “We hope it’s nothing serious. Tomorrow we’ll know more, and Dane and Odogou are ready to step in.”
Sniper punchline 1: If defense were a bank, Milan would be in overdraft—time to tighten the till at San Siro.
Sniper punchline 2: Allegri might start a Defender’s Anonymous meeting: Hi, I’m a defender, and I keep conceding at home. It’s been a rough season, folks.
