COACH BOND CONFIRMED: ALLEGRI IS LIKE A FATHER TO RAFAEL LEAO BEFORE THE DERBY
AC Milan coach Massimiliano Allegri discusses his "fatherly" relationship with Rafael Leao and the importance of the Derby della Madonnina against Inter. A win could see Milan top the Serie A table.
The main coach of AC Milan, Massimiliano Allegri, has discussed his connection with Rafael Leao, along with what he anticipates from the important match.
The first Milan match of the season is coming up, with the game starting at 20:45 CET, and it’s a great chance for Allegri and his team to prove what they can do. The 2-2 tie with Parma before the break was not a good outcome to go into the international games with, so a good response is needed. Allegri emphasised the importance of teamwork and strategy in the upcoming fixture, stating that every player must be at their best to secure a victory. He also noted that the support from the fans will be crucial in creating a strong atmosphere to motivate the team on the pitch.
Inter goes into the match with two more points in the standings, meaning they can increase their lead to five points with a victory. Or, the Rossoneri could pass their rivals and make the top of the league even closer, while also keeping up a recent positive trend in the match.
Allegri had a talk with DAZN that was shown the night before the match, and he gave more thoughts on the game after his press meeting. His words are from MilanNews.
Thinking about it, will the match leave you feeling good or bad?
“The outcome usually makes you feel good for the next few days. If the result is not good, it makes you feel a little sad, a little hurt, but we still have many other games to play. So we have to look at what happens tomorrow to try to get better.”
Leao said you were like a father to him; is that true?
“I was happy with what Rafa said, but I think my team and I need to be there to help the players and try to make them better physically, technically, and mentally. This is very important. I think Rafa has improved because he knows that a striker is judged by the goals he scores.”
Can Leao score 20 goals?
“Right now, he has four. Let’s hope he keeps going, then we’ll see (laughs).”
Rabiot will also be back – How much of an impact could he have? His return could be significant, as he brings not only skill but also experience to the midfield. Having him back in the squad will undoubtedly bolster our chances of success in the coming matches.
“He’s an important player. Milan has many of them, mixed with players who don’t have as much experience. But we’re trying to get some good results so we can reach our main goal, which is to get back into the Champions League.”
Rabiot said he hoped to win it with a goal in the 90th minute. Could that happen?
“The 90th minute is always better because it would be easier for you. You would struggle for 90 minutes, then you wouldn’t struggle as much at the end. No, we need to play well because Inter is very strong.”
“It’s not stressful. When you work at a big team like Milan, it’s normal to have a goal, which is to get back into the Champions League, because they need to play in the Champions League, which is their home, where they’ve won seven times.
You should also not hold back but instead aim high, and most importantly, try to get the greatest outcomes. If the greatest outcome is ending up in the first four spots, it shows that we did a good job getting there. If it means ending up higher, it means we have earned it. Also, the standings are honest: in the long run, the best team comes out on top.
How are you trying to help Gimenez and Nkunku feel more sure of themselves again?
Gimenez is still unable to play because of a problem with his ankle. Nkunku played very well against Roma; he had a harder time against Parma, but he is a very skilled player and will get better with time.
What is your favourite memory from the derby?
For sure, it’s the first one since that’s the one that we were able to win. After that, sadly, I was not able to win the last four games (laughs).
RUBEN LOFTUS-CHEEK FRACTURES JAW: AC MILAN STAR HOSPITALIZED AFTER SICKENING SAN SIRO COLLISION
A brutal blow: Discover the details of Ruben Loftus-Cheek’s fractured jaw and why he’s missing England's March friendlies.
Ruben Loftus-Cheek has opened up about the brutal injuries he suffered after a nasty head clash while playing for AC Milan. He’s now facing at least two months out.
Last night at the San Siro, Loftus-Cheek collided with Parma’s goalkeeper, Edoardo Corvi, going up for a ball. He was taken off the pitch on a stretcher, neck and head strapped tightly. It looked bad right away. Now it’s confirmed: he broke his jaw and lost several teeth. He ended up in the hospital, and doctors say he’ll need around eight weeks to recover.
That rules him out of England’s upcoming friendlies against Uruguay and Japan scheduled for the end of March.
Milan released a statement: Loftus-Cheek suffered “significant facial trauma” and had a fractured jaw. Surgeons at ASST Santi Paolo e Carlo performed the surgery, and the club reports that it went perfectly. He’s already been discharged from the hospital.
Loftus-Cheek posted on Instagram, “It was a tough blow, but the worst is behind me.” He thanked the medical staff, fans, and his teammates, saying their support gave him strength. “We are a team; we are a family. Now, forward towards our goals, strong and united, together.”
Milan lost 1-0 without him, which leaves them in second place in Serie A, ten points behind their big rivals, Inter.
Loftus-Cheek, who grew up in London, has played 27 games for Milan this season, scoring three goals and picking up an assist. He’s now in his third year at the club and just six matches away from hitting 100 appearances.
Before moving to Italy, he spent nearly a decade in and around Chelsea’s first team, with loan spells at Crystal Palace and Fulham. After 19 years at Chelsea, where he progressed through their academy, he joined Milan in June 2023 for £15 million.
He’s played for England 11 times since debuting in 2017, but was out of the squad for six years before Thomas Tuchel, now England’s manager, called him back last September to fill in for Adam Wharton.
Back then, Loftus-Cheek admitted he’d stopped thinking about England selection: “You still want to push in club football, hoping you might get a look-in. But honestly, I just forgot about it and became a fan instead.”
He’s played all over the pitch under Tuchel, sometimes higher up, closer to the striker, and other times deeper in midfield. Asked if his versatility might help his World Cup chances, Loftus-Cheek said, “Who knows? I can play different positions. Since joining AC Milan, I’ve played higher up to score goals and help the team in the final third. Under Tuchel, I played deeper. I can do both, and in a tournament, being versatile is a good thing. I’m happy to play anywhere for the team and give it everything, whatever the position.”
MILAN SLUMP: SLOPPY FINISHING LEAVES ROSSONERI TEN POINTS BEHIND RIVALS INTER IN TITLE RACE
Milan’s title hopes take a hit! Discover how Parma stunned the Rossoneri and why VAR allowed the winning goal to stand tonight.
Milan paid the price for sloppy finishing and slow defending. Parma handed them their first Serie A loss since the opening weekend, and now Milan sit 10 points behind Inter.
After a 1-1 draw with Como in a rescheduled midweek match, the Rossoneri were already struggling. That game left them seven points behind Inter, saw Max Allegri sent off and suspended, and forced some last-minute changes. Strahinja Pavlovic wasn’t fit enough to start, and Santiago Gimenez was out, but Christian Pulisic and Ruben Loftus-Cheek returned to action, and Adrien Rabiot was back from suspension. Then, just before kickoff, Matteo Gabbia pulled out during the warm-up, so Koni De Winter stepped in, and Davide Bartesaghi found himself in a new spot in the back three. Parma, meanwhile, came in with momentum after two straight wins, even though they had Alessandro Circati suspended and a handful of injuries; Ndiaye, Suzuki, Almqvist, and Frigan were all missing.
The match had its moments. Early on, Alexis Saelemaekers whipped in a wild rabona cross, but Loftus-Cheek and Parma’s keeper Corvi crashed into each other trying to meet it. Loftus-Cheek came off worse, stretchered off, and Ardon Jashari took his place.
Corvi stayed busy, standing up to shots from Pulisic and Jashari, then darted off his line to stop Pulisic again from a tough angle.
Right before halftime, Milan nearly broke through. Rabiot nodded down a ball from Bartesaghi, Pulisic found space 14 yards out, but drove his shot wide.
Then came a bit of drama. Rafael Leao got booked for diving in the box; he went down a little too easily. But Milan almost scored moments later. Leao chased a Saelemaekers through ball, Corvi slid out to knock it away, and Pulisic pounced on the rebound. With the net gaping, Mariano Troilo lunged in with a desperate tackle to keep it scoreless.
Parma mostly sat back, but they had their chances too. Emanuele Valeri nearly flicked in a cross at full stretch, forcing Mike Maignan into a difficult save.
Leao came heartbreakingly close to scoring on 64 minutes. Milan recycled a poorly-cleared corner, and Leao’s acrobatic volley hit the inside of the post, rolled along the goal line, and somehow stayed out.
Pavlovic came off the bench and nodded a free kick wide. Then Parma struck. Mariano Troilo leapt over Bartesaghi at the back post and headed in a corner. The referee first blew for a foul but, after checking VAR, ruled that Valenti just blocked Maignan; he didn’t foul him, so the goal stood.
Niclas Füllkrug had a couple of late looks, heading a corner over and then seeing another shot deflected just wide. But in the end, Milan’s missed chances and defensive lapses cost them.
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