Massimiliano Allegri stated that Milan gained a ‘lesson in maturity’ from their 1-1 draw at home against 17th-placed Genoa in Serie A on Thursday evening, mentioning that his team lacked the ‘patience’ needed to break down their determined opponents.
The visitors took an early first-half lead through Lorenzo Colombo, which remained unchallenged until Rafael Leao equalized in the 92nd minute from a corner. Genoa nearly clinched all three points with a late penalty, but Stanciu missed the opportunity by shooting over the crossbar, ensuring the match ended level.
Allegri: ‘Milan lacked patience, we were too hasty’
MILAN, ITALY – JANUARY 08: Rafael Leao of AC Milan stretches to shoot during the Serie A match between AC Milan and Genoa CFC at Giuseppe Meazza Stadium on January 08, 2026 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images)
In his comments to DAZN after the match, Allegri discussed how he plans to reflect on the chaotic conclusion to the game at San Siro.
“In football, you have to accept the outcome as it comes,” Allegri noted. “We must focus on the positives from this game. Genoa did well to contain us. We found ourselves in good positions despite a challenging first half, but then we conceded that goal.
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“They reduced their intensity in the second half, while we became more aggressive. Our key area for improvement is our patience against teams that sit back, so we don't put ourselves at risk on counter-attacks, which almost cost us the match.”
“This experience serves as a lesson in maturity as we aim to secure a top-four finish. We need to improve; we lacked patience and acted too hastily, which ultimately leads us nowhere.”
MILAN, ITALY – JANUARY 08: Nicolae Stanciu of Genoa misses a penalty during the Serie A match between AC Milan and Genoa CFC at Giuseppe Meazza Stadium on January 08, 2026 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images)
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Milan now remains three points behind their city rivals Inter, who have established a clear lead at the top of the Serie A standings following the 19th round of fixtures for the 2025-26 season.
“This is a crucial and challenging phase,” Allegri remarked. “We need to maintain our composure against all teams. It’s unfortunate we couldn’t secure a win at home; we attempted numerous shots, but it didn’t yield results. In fact, we were fortunate not to have lost.”
“We'll have nearly all our players available for the upcoming match in Florence, and we'll be prepared.”
Finally, Allegri commented on goalscorer Leao, who managed to find the net despite not being in peak physical condition.
“He had a couple of opportunities in open play where he could have performed better. Though he’s not at his best right now, he remained involved throughout the match and still managed to score in the end.”
