Milan, Allegri: "Leao ready to shine again in Champions League" | OneFootball

On the eve of Milan-Fiorentina, Massimiliano Allegri spoke at a press conference, analyzing the team's current form, the condition of the injured players, and the challenges of the match against the Viola.

Milan, Allegri at the press conference: “Leao is ready to be a protagonist again”

The Rossoneri coach appeared confident about Rafael Leao’s return, who is – according to his words – “ready to be a protagonist again.”

Allegri: “Leao has great qualities, he needs to be allowed to play”

Opening the press conference, Allegri immediately clarified the situation regarding the Portuguese striker: “He had a good week of training, he’s back in good shape and I believe he’s ready to be one of the protagonists again. Leao has extraordinary qualities, but he just needs to focus on playing. There’s too much talk around him: the pitch will show if he’s a champion. He’s a golden boy and I’m convinced he’ll do very well from here on out.”

The coach then added: “We need him, but we also need everyone else. Injuries are part of the season and when they happen, you have to be good at reacting as a group.”

The injured players: Rabiot and Pulisic will return after the break

Allegri gave an update on the team’s condition: “Rabiot and Pulisic are unlikely to be available before the next break. Estupinan is out with an ankle problem, Nkunku has a sore big toe and we’ll assess his condition. Jashari is unavailable, while Saelemaekers is back. In any case, we have enough players to face Fiorentina.”

Regarding the recovery of players returning from international duty, he added: “Matches after the break are always unpredictable. We need focus and team spirit. Starting tomorrow, we begin a cycle of five very important matches for our season.”

“Against Fiorentina we’ll need focus and compactness”

Analyzing the next opponent, Allegri acknowledged the quality of Pioli’s team: “Fiorentina are well coached and have players who can score goals. I think they have fewer points than they deserve. We’ll need to play a very focused game, with compactness and humility. We have to take another step forward on our path.”

“In Turin we could have won, we need to improve our game management”

Returning to the draw with Juventus, the Rossoneri coach explained: “After the match we were angry because we could have won. When you play matches like that, you have to learn to be demanding with yourself. Even in difficult moments you have to maintain balance, it’s necessary to grow if you want to achieve certain goals.”

Allegri: “No politics, I only think about Milan”

Asked about a curious passage in the book Cortomutismo, where he is mentioned as one of the most appreciated personalities in Italy, Allegri smiled: “I will never go into politics. I appreciate the recognition, but my focus is only on Milan. There are no absentees, only players who need to rest or recover. The group must always be able to give their best.”

“Every mistake is an opportunity to improve”

Speaking about his players’ attitude after the penalty mistake against Juventus, Allegri highlighted: “The boys reacted well, continuing to play with intensity. That’s the spirit I want to see. Every ball is important, not just to win the match, but to achieve our season goal: to remain consistently in the top four.”

“Substitutions are fundamental, everyone must feel like a protagonist”

The coach then emphasized the importance of squad depth: “Those who start on the bench are as decisive as those who start the match. We have to think step by step, without making leaps that are too big. The strength of a team lies in everyone’s willingness.”

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇮🇹 here.