Is Massimiliano Allegri fit to be AC Milan's manager?

MILAN, FRIDAY - As previously anticipated, Sergio Conceicao has no chance of retaining his position as the Coach of AC Milan at the end of this season. The failure to win a major trophy, coupled with an eighth-place finish, is sufficient reason for Milan to dismiss him. As a replacement, Milan is reportedly interested in re-engaging the services of Massimiliano Allegri.

"We would like to express our gratitude to Sergio Conceicao and his staff for their commitment, professionalism, and dedication demonstrated while leading the main team over the past few months," Milan wrote in a post on the club's social media, Friday (30/5/2025) early morning WIB.

Conceicao was appointed to replace Paulo Fonseca in December 2024. Thus, he only served for six months in the "Fashion City." In such a short time, Conceicao delivered the Super Cup trophy after defeating the city rival, Inter Milan, in early 2025.

However, the top officials at Milan are feeling uneasy as Conceicao has been unable to elevate the team's performance thereafter. Milan finished in eighth place at the end of the season. This means that "I Rossoneri" will not compete in European competitions next season.

Their only hope of securing a European ticket by winning the Italian Cup also ended after losing to Bologna in the final. Milan's season was already in tatters when they failed to beat Feyenoord in the Champions League last-16 playoff.

After dismissing Conceicao, the top officials of Milan quickly moved to find his replacement. The prevalent rumors in Italy suggest that Massimiliano Allegri is a strong candidate to succeed Conceicao.

The former Juventus coach, who is currently unemployed, was previously more often associated with Napoli if Antonio Conte were to leave. However, Milan's options are becoming increasingly limited after Vincenzo Italiano chose to remain at Bologna.

As for Maurizio Sarri, another candidate, he ultimately did not make the list of potential coaches for Milan due to his issues with Milan's Sporting Director Igli Tare during their time at Lazio. Atalanta's coach Gian Piero Gasperini is also not on the radar as he has been linked with a move to AS Roma.

If Allegri really is going to be Conceicao's replacement, this will be good news for Rafael Leao.

Allegri is not a new figure at Milan. The 57-year-old coach previously managed Milan from 2010 to 2014. In his first season, Allegri delivered the Serie A title but failed to retain it in the following season.

In addition to the Serie A trophy, Allegri also led Milan to victory in the Supercoppa Italiana during the 2011-2012 season. He was subsequently dismissed in 2014 due to his failure to bring Milan into the European zone.

Pros and cons accompany the issue of Allegri's return to Milan. Some Milan fans feel that he is the right person to lead the club back to glory. On the other hand, there are also many who oppose Allegri because he has a tendency towards very passive playing tactics.

During his time managing Juventus, Allegri was known for being highly pragmatic and placing great importance on the final results. He did not care if his team played very defensively as long as they could secure victories. The phrase "curto muso," or short nose, is closely associated with him. This phrase relates to horse racing, which Allegri used to describe winning by a narrow margin.

Allegri's approach may be very different from Conceicao's, who, despite failing to elevate Milan's performance, was able to showcase attacking football. Milan under Conceicao was indeed not a productive team. The number of goals per match for Milan also did not rank in the top three.

However, Conceicao makes Milan very attractive in attack. Milan is the second most team that has made shots on target per game, which is 5.2 times. Milan's expected goal (xG) also reached 63.5 or is in the top three in the league. They are only behind Inter Milan (68.3) and Atalanta (66.8).

Milan fans are now divided over what kind of coach their team needs. Allegri with his pragmatism is seen as a good fit for Milan who ended this season empty-handed. On the other hand, there are fans who do not want Milan to sacrifice their playing style just for the sake of results.

If Allegri is indeed set to replace Conceicao, this will be good news for Rafael Leao. With Allegri's tendency towards defense, the attacking aspect of Milan will likely be more heavily borne by Leao.

Moreover, Leao is classified as a player who rarely contributes to defensive efforts. Left-back Theo Hernandez also has the potential to take on more responsibilities in supporting the attack, considering that Allegri is also adept at employing a three-defender formation.

The issue of Allegri's return has sparked both support and opposition, but he may be the coach that Milan needs at this moment. Regardless, Milan, which is currently lacking in achievements, desperately requires pragmatism to compete at the top level again. Playing beautifully does not guarantee success towards that goal.