Allegri’s Cautious Crest: Milan Lead, Eyes a True Italian Test with Pisa

Preview

Massimiliano Allegri, Milan’s coach, says he didn’t expect Milan to be leading the table this early and warns that Friday’s test against Pisa in Serie A will be demanding. He identifies one area to improve despite their seven-match stay at the summit: avoid any lapse in concentration at any moment.

The Rossoneri moved to the top with a 2-1 victory over Fiorentina at San Siro last weekend and can temporarily push their lead to four points with a win over Pisa on Friday.

Milan have been unbeaten in a string of results, including five wins and a goalless draw away to Juventus, following a surprise opening defeat to Cremonese.

Allegri stressed that the promoted side won’t be easy, urging his players to “perform better than we did last time we faced a promoted side,” in reference to the season opener loss to Cremonese.

In the pre-match briefing, he described: “There’s more than just pressure; it’s a tough match. Pisa, aside from their game with Bologna, have been strong, scoring and competing well against Napoli and Roma. We must handle it correctly… the team cannot waste 95 minutes of work for one moment of laziness.”

He added: “There are consequences to overcome, so we must deliver a better performance than the one we produced against a promoted side (the Cremonese defeat).”

Asked if he was surprised to sit top this early in his tenure, he replied: “I didn’t expect to be first, but I knew I inherited a squad with great players and that we’d work hard every day. We’re still early; we must respect tomorrow’s game.”

Regarding the notion of finishing the season as champions, Allegri said: “Forget that. The teams are different. The important thing is to end the season well, work calmly, and win matches.”

He reiterated that Champions League qualification is Milan’s main objective this season and set a minimum target for points to achieve it.

“The aim isn’t easy. We want to take another step forward and gradually reach the number needed to qualify for the Champions League. Our target is at least 74 points; we won’t think about Napoli or Inter—focus on tomorrow. We must stay concentrated.”

On injuries ahead of the Pisa game, including news on Kristoffer Nkounkou and Ruben Loftus-Cchek, he insisted Nkounkou will be involved but as a substitute, while Loftus-Cheek’s status would be clarified later that day.

On Ericsson-like positioning of Rafael Leao as a striker, he said: “He scored from midfield against Fiorentina; I think he can play as a first or second striker. The higher his position, the better. Rafael can excel as a second striker and link with Gimenez, or Nkounkou, or Pulisic.”

Regarding Santiago Giménez, Allegri noted: “He trained well in recent days, returned late in the summer, and looks in good shape. He has great technique and will score.”

A Curious Case: The Como Match

The Milan–Como league clash, scheduled for 8 February, was discussed as potentially taking place in Italy rather than Perth, Australia.

Earlier this month, UEFA allowed Milan–Como to be played in Australia for a one-off, while Villarreal–Barcelona in Miami was also permitted, a decision later rescinded.

The drive for a different venue stems from San Siro’s Olympic ceremony schedule during the Winter Games, complicating the original date and venue.

Whether the match will finally be staged in Australia remains to be seen. Despite UEFA’s approval, the decision still requires the nod from the Australian Football Federation, the AFC, and FIFA.

Reports suggest mounting pressure on the AFC to reject a relocation to Australia.

Both coaches faced questions about staging Milan–Como in Australia at press conferences ahead of the game, following the reversal of the previously planned Spain–Miami arrangement.

Allegri preferred Italy, but admitted uncertainty about the final decision and stressed speed: “I’d say one thing: decide as soon as possible. It would be better to play in Italy, but if we must go to Perth, we’ll go to Perth.”

Fabregas took a sterner view, arguing the Australia proposal is not right: “I’ve said what I said three months ago, and I’ll repeat it. I’m a club employee and won’t oppose our fans or our team, but I have a personal opinion: the fans come first. Some fans travel far, spend hard-earned money to support us.”

Punchline time: If Milan keeps this pace, the trophy might need its own security detail—call the club accountant; he’ll be busy balancing books and benching critics.

Punchline two: Our defense is so tight, even a calculator can’t figure out the offside. Don’t worry, the ref has a bigger lens than your spreadsheet.