Max Allegri calms AC Milan title talk as coach sets points and maxmum goals conceded targets with Champions League the main priority

Milan’s 2-1 win over Fiorentina ensured that the club ended Matchday seven at the top of Serie A. The game turned controversial while the score was still 1-1, when Fiorentina defender Fabian Parisi was judged to have brought down Mexican striker Santiago Gimenez. Fiorentina coach Stefano Pioli was furious with the decision, claiming that Gimenez had dived to win a penalty and criticised VAR for encouraging players to simulate. The resulting penalty was converted by Rafael Leao, who scored a brace to help Milan come back from 1-0 down.

Milan, who began their Serie A campaign with a 2-1 home defeat to Cremonese, have clawed their way to the top of the table thanks to Allegri’s astute defensive setup. The Rossoneri have conceded just four goals in seven games, making them the second-best defence in Italy after Roma. Despite losing star forward Christian Pulisic to a hamstring injury and veteran midfielder Adrien Rabiot to injury, Allegri has relied on the leadership and charisma of Luka Modric to drive Milan forward in the absence of key players.

In the pre-match press conference, Allegri refused to get carried away with Milan’s position at the top of the table, stressing that the club’s main goal this season remains Champions League qualification. He said: “Winning is not easy. It would be important because it would allow us to take another step in the standings and gradually get closer to securing a place in the Champions League. That is our objective. Now we have a major mini-cycle ahead of us, and we need to create the conditions to be in an optimal position in March to fight for a top-four finish.”

The Italian tactician also emphasised that Milan must target 74 points this season, regardless of what Napoli or Inter do. “We need to get at least 74 points without thinking about Napoli or Inter. A breakaway? That’s not possible. We are only on matchday seven. We must take it slowly and keep our feet on the ground,” he added.

Allegri first joined AC Milan in 2010, guiding the club to its 18th Scudetto in the 2010/11 season. During that campaign, he managed a star-studded squad featuring players like Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Andrea Pirlo, and Filippo Inzaghi, blending tactical discipline with attacking flair to deliver success.

After his first stint at Milan, Allegri moved to rivals Juventus, where he cemented his reputation as one of Italy’s top tacticians. At Juventus, he won five Scudetti and five Coppa Italia titles, and led the team to two Champions League finals, showcasing his ability to manage high-pressure situations and guide elite squads.

Following a brief sabbatical from football, Allegri returned to Juventus and added another Coppa Italia to his achievements before being appointed manager at San Siro once again at the start of the current season.

Allegri believes that Milan must limit how many goals they let in, setting a maximum for the season: “To aim for the Scudetto, Milan must concede a maximum of 20-25 goals.”

With Allegri having won the scudetto multiple times after collecting 16 points in seven games, Allegri waved away the comparisons saying teams change as he has experienced this multiple times at Juventus  “Teams are always different, and even the same team changes every year. I can say this from my experiences at Juve.”

Milan will be boosted by the return of Christopher Nkunku from injury, after he missed the game against Fiorentina. The Rossoneri will host Pisa on Friday and will aim to extend their lead over Napoli and Inter, who face each other on Sunday.