Allegri: ‘Nobody expected Milan defeat, but players gave everything’ | OneFootball

Max Allegri admits ‘nobody expected’ Milan to lose at home to Cagliari and miss out on the Champions League, but insists his players ‘did everything they could.’

The Rossoneri were in the strongest position going into the final round of the season, knowing a win at home against a Cagliari side with nothing to play for would suffice.

They had taken the early lead through Alexis Saelemaekers after barely 80 seconds, but they collapsed with Gennaro Borrelli’s equaliser, then Juan Rodriguez turning it around from a set play situation.

Unable to turn it around, Milan were leapfrogged in the table by Como, so regardless of the delayed Juventus result, they are out of the Champions League and at this stage are going to finish sixth.

Allegri tries to protect Milan

MILAN, ITALY – MAY 24: Strahinja Pavlovic of AC Milan dejected after the Serie A match between AC Milan and Cagliari Calcio at the Giuseppe Meazza Stadium on May 24, 2026 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images)

“Unfortunately, we cannot change the result now. When we lose five home games the way we did, we end up in this position,” Allegri told DAZN Italia.

“It had started well, we thought by taking the lead that the result was to be taken for granted, but that was not the case, and we defended very badly, especially the first goal.

“I have nothing to reproach my lads for, they did absolutely everything possible to qualify for the Champions League.”

It was a Calcio suicide from the Diavolo, who ended the season losing three of the last four games, and now everyone is going to be in doubt.

MILAN, ITALY – MAY 24: Christian Pulisic of AC Milan dejected after the Serie A match between AC Milan and Cagliari Calcio at the Giuseppe Meazza Stadium on May 24, 2026 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images)

“At this moment, I am disappointed, angry, because we missed out on the Champions League. After we beat Genoa last week, nobody expected a defeat like this,” confessed Allegri.

“Unfortunately, this is sport, we have to accept it. We need to evaluate the whole season, I cannot reproach my lads anything, they put what they needed to onto the pitch throughout the year.

“I don’t know what happened, we certainly made mistakes during these defeats, but we had got the situation back on track against Genoa.

“When evaluating the end of a season, it’s natural the results will make you see things differently, but we must be clear-eyed when looking at the overall situation.”

The lack of determination has long been a problem for Milan, even before Allegri arrived last summer.

“We were too passive in both Cagliari goals and that had not happened before. We did better with Genoa, but there was more anxiety tonight and we were unable to turn it around.”

MILAN, ITALY – MAY 24: Alexis Saelemaekers of AC Milan celebrates scoring his team’s first goal with teammates during the Serie A match between AC Milan and Cagliari Calcio at the Giuseppe Meazza Stadium on May 24, 2026 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images)

There were already question marks and angry protests before kick-off, with a lack of clarity on who is in charge going forward between Allegri, director of sport Igli Tare, CEO Giorgio Furlani and special advisor Zlatan Ibrahimovic.

“I don’t know about the future, right now my thought only goes to the lack of results. Naturally, the whole year must be evaluated, mistakes were made, but there is no point talking about it now,” concluded Allegri.