"WE HAD IT!" — MAX ALLEGRI’S HONEST ADMISSION ON THE PENALTY THAT DERAILED AC MILAN
Max Allegri hails a "positive" point at Roma despite a late penalty denying AC Milan a win at the Stadio Olimpico.
Max Allegri looked back at Milan’s draw at the Stadio Olimpico and kept things pretty simple: they were on track to win until Roma got their penalty. “It’s a positive result,” he said, “but these things happen.”
For a while, it looked like a repeat of their last meeting at San Siro. Back then, Roma dominated but couldn’t get past Mike Maignan, and Milan stole a 1-0 win. This time, Koni De Winter finished off a Luka Modric corner to put Milan ahead, but Lorenzo Pellegrini converted his penalty—unlike Paulo Dybala in November, who got denied.
The numbers pretty much say it all. Roma had 15 shots to Milan’s 5 and a huge xG advantage—2.74 to 0.35. Things did even out a bit after halftime, though.
Allegri found reasons to be upbeat. “We started well for about seven or eight minutes, then Roma really pressed us. They were first to every loose ball and dangerous with those vertical passes,” he told DAZN Italia. “Maignan kept us in it with some great saves. In the second half, we improved technically, and Roma lost some of their intensity.”
When Milan took the lead, Allegri thought they had the game in hand. “But these things happen. We leave with a positive result. Getting a point at the Olimpico is important at this stage of the season. We gained a point on Napoli and kept Roma at arm’s length.”
Milan’s still sitting second, five points off leaders Inter, but they’ve now opened up a five-point gap over fifth-placed Juventus.
Allegri admitted, “Roma really pushed, and there’s always one team that presses harder. We were more aggressive after the break. Against a team pressing as they do, you need to play around them with longer combinations. We gave them a few chances by making mistakes playing out from the back—should’ve been sharper, instead of leaving Gabbia exposed one-on-one.”
“After we went ahead, we defended well. Then, just when everything seemed to be going our way, the penalty hit. Honestly, before that, it felt more likely we’d go 2-0 up than Roma would equalise.”
With this draw, Milan’s unbeaten run in Serie A stretches to 21 matches, ever since that opening weekend loss to Cremonese back in August 2025.
Late in the game, Allegri sent on Niclas Füllkrug and Christian Pulisic from the bench, while Rafael Leão tried to build some chemistry with Christopher Nkunku. “They’re all important players,” Allegri said. “When I made the changes, Leao and Nkunku were getting better, but I wanted someone strong in the air—Pulisic has that determination to finish things off.”
He shrugged. “You think you have it figured out, then football throws you something else.”
ANTONIO CONTE DEMANDS RUTHLESS FINISHING DESPITE NAPOLI’S CRUCIAL ONE ZERO CAGLIARI WIN
Antonio Conte celebrates Napoli's fourth straight win and a rare clean sheet following a 1-0 victory over Cagliari.
After the 1-0 win at Cagliari, Napoli’s manager, Antonio Conte, shared his thoughts with DAZN. He pointed out that getting key players back is important, though he said they must be fully fit. Anguissa and McTominay aren’t quite there yet, while Kevin De Bruyne looked good. Lobotka struggled a bit, and there’s hope that Rrahmani and Di Lorenzo can return to full fitness soon. Conte admitted that competing for the title won’t be easy, especially with players like Neres posing a challenge. He emphasised that Napoli has held steady over seven months, and now the focus shifts to securing Champions League qualification. They’re aware that other teams are chasing the same spot, but there’s no reason to stop pushing forward. Today’s result puts a bit of pressure on the teams ahead.
Regarding the midfield and attacking midfield, Conte said the team made too many mistakes and could have controlled the game better, especially since Cagliari weren’t pressing hard. They pushed for a second goal in the second half, and as always, anything can happen in these tight matches. The three points are valuable, but they remain cautious because it doesn’t take much to be overtaken.
On the importance of keeping a clean sheet, Conte highlighted that after 11 games without one, it was crucial not to concede. Cagliari didn’t manage a single shot on target, showing how well Napoli defended. He praised the commitment and understanding of the players, though he admits the team still struggles a bit with finishing their chances.
At the press conference, Conte expanded on the need for clinical finishing. He noted that going up 2-0 would have eased pressure, as a 1-0 lead is always fragile; a momentary lapse or scramble can let the opponent back in. Still, he expressed satisfaction with the team’s progress, especially given the challenges over the past seven months. With more players returning from injury, Conte has more options to change things up during matches, bringing in fresh energy and quality.
When asked about the double playmaker setup with McTominay and De Bruyne, Conte described it as an ongoing process rather than something new. The midfield lineup can vary, Lobotka alongside Anguissa or McTominay with Gilmour, for example, but the underlying idea remains consistent. He acknowledged that relying on two playmakers might reduce physicality at times, though it improves passing quality. Since November, they’ve stuck with this four-man midfield system because it suits their style and creates problems for opponents.
Conte also expressed satisfaction with the clean sheet, especially as this was their fourth consecutive win ahead of the international break. He recalled the frustration following a loss in Bologna and welcomed the chance to regroup over the next two weeks before facing Milan. Preventing shots on target was a key success today, but there’s still room to improve in finishing. Being more ruthless in front of the goal remains a priority.
LAUTARO MARTINEZ ADMITS DREAM RETURN TO RACING CLUB AMID INTER CONTRACT
Lautaro Martinez reveals his dream to return to Racing Club, while remaining committed to Inter Milan until 2029.
Lautaro Martinez is still the heart of Inter, but you can tell Racing Club is never far from his mind. He left Argentina for Inter back in 2018, but Racing fans haven’t forgotten him; he’s a legend to them. Lautaro even joked that his long-term plan is to “convince” his wife to head back home with him one day.
He’s got deep roots in Argentina. He came up through Racing’s youth system, banged in 27 goals in 62 games, and became a fan favourite before heading to Italy. Now, he’s one of Serie A’s sharpest strikers. He scored 18 goals and had four assists this season, giving Inter a solid lead over AC Milan. Still, no matter how well he’s doing in Italy, that bond with his old club hasn’t faded.
But moving back isn’t just his call; it’s a family thing. Lautaro talked about this during an interview with Racing Radio, joking about how his wife has got used to life in Milan. He said, “Coming back to racing is my dream: I’m working on convincing my wife, and luckily, she supports me. Of course, there’s a bunch to think about – family stuff, how I’ll feel physically. But my dream is to return for at least a year. I just don’t know when.”
He also mentioned how much he wants his kids to experience the racing love for themselves. He’s tied to Inter until 2029 and made it clear he’s committed to the club right now. “I’ve got three more years here at Inter. I want to stay at this level as long as I can. I feel good; I’m still young, but one day, I want my kids to see how much racing means to me and to its fans.”
Lautaro spoke fondly about Diego Milito, Racing’s current president and Inter icon, who’s basically been a mentor since Lautaro started. They talk every week, and when Lautaro got injured, Milito reached out. Lautaro sent his own message of support for Racing, since the club has been struggling lately.
Lautaro also recalled his last visit to Racing’s training ground, where he ran into coach Gustavo Costas. Costas teased him: “Stick around; we’re waiting for you. Come back next year, play in the World Cup, then come home.” Lautaro said the urge to return never goes away. Racing gave him the chance to be who he is now, and he’s never forgotten it.
