Max Allegri acknowledged that the home loss to Cagliari and the subsequent failure to secure Champions League qualification were unexpected. However, he emphasized that his players exerted maximum effort.
Milan entered the final matchday in a commanding position, needing only a victory at home against a Cagliari side with no stakes in the game to guarantee their Champions League spot.
Although Alexis Saelemaekers scored an early goal within 80 seconds, the team’s performance faltered. Gennaro Borrelli equalized, and Juan Rodriguez then gave Cagliari the lead from a set piece.
Milan’s inability to find another goal saw them overtaken in the standings by Como. Regardless of the outcome of a delayed Juventus match, Milan are now out of the Champions League and are set to finish the season in sixth place.
Allegri Defends Milan Players Amidst Criticism
“Regrettably, we cannot alter the outcome now. When a team experiences five home defeats, this is the consequence,” Allegri stated to DAZN Italia.
“The match began positively, and we assumed our early lead would secure the result. However, that proved not to be the case, and our defense was particularly poor, especially on their first goal.
“I have no criticism for my players; they genuinely did everything within their power to qualify for the Champions League.”
This outcome has been described as a “Calcio suicide” for Milan, who concluded their season by losing three of their last four games, casting a shadow of doubt over the team’s future.
“At this juncture, I am disappointed and frustrated because we have missed out on the Champions League. Following our victory against Genoa last week, no one anticipated a defeat of this nature,” Allegri confessed.
“Unfortunately, this is the nature of sport, and we must accept it. We need to reflect on the entire season. I cannot fault my players; they consistently gave their best throughout the year.
“I’m uncertain about the exact reasons for this collapse. We certainly made errors during these losses, but we had regained our momentum against Genoa.
“When assessing the end of a season, it’s natural for results to influence perception. However, we must maintain a clear perspective when evaluating the overall situation.”
A perceived lack of determination has been a recurring issue for Milan, even predating Allegri’s arrival last summer.
“We were too passive in conceding both goals to Cagliari, which was uncharacteristic. We performed better against Genoa, but tonight there was a palpable anxiety, and we were unable to recover.”
Pre-match, there were already uncertainties and public discontent regarding the clarity of leadership within the club, with questions surrounding the roles of Allegri, sporting director Igli Tare, CEO Giorgio Furlani, and special advisor Zlatan Ibrahimovic.
“I have no insights into the future. My focus currently is solely on the lack of positive results. Naturally, the entire season warrants an evaluation, and mistakes were made. However, there is no benefit in discussing it further at this moment,” Allegri concluded.
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