MILAN, ITALY – OCTOBER 19: Massimiliano Allegri, Head Coach of AC Milan, observes the match before the Serie A clash between AC Milan and ACF Fiorentina at Giuseppe Meazza Stadium on October 19, 2025 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images)
Max Allegri discussed his tactical choices following AC Milan’s victory over Fiorentina, thanks to a brace from Rafael Leao that propelled the team to the top of the table. “I needed to maintain some options available from the bench,” he stated.
The Rossoneri recognized this match as a vital chance to seize the top position after defeats of Roma, Napoli, and Juventus during the weekend, intensifying the pressure.
However, Allegri was also grappling with a significant injury crisis, missing key players such as Adrien Rabiot, Christian Pulisic, Ruben Loftus-Cheek, Christopher Nkunku, Pervis Estupinan, and Ardon Jashari.
Fiorentina shocked the crowd by taking an early lead via Robin Gosens during their first real opportunity, but Rafael Leao turned the game around, leading to a 2-1 victory with a stunning long-range strike and a highly disputed penalty conversion.
Allegri Faces Limited Options at AC Milan
“All I can say is the team performed well. Until they scored, Fiorentina hadn’t registered a single shot, whereas we created several opportunities, including some from set pieces by Tomori and Pavlovic, as well as a dangerous cross from Athekame,” Allegri remarked to DAZN Italia.
“We responded effectively to going down a goal, and the team showed great determination to secure the win.”
Leao’s pre-season trial as a center-forward had modest results, and he struggled early in this match until Santiago Gimenez came on.
“With Gimenez’s introduction, he had more freedom to move, yet he can also function as a center-forward since Fofana was pushing forward, allowing us to fill the penalty area with players coming in from deep.”
“Additionally, I needed to ensure I had some alternatives to utilize from the bench; otherwise, I was left with no options. I had planned to bring on Gimenez after Athekame received a yellow card, but Fiorentina scored before that substitution could happen. Given the shortage of players in the same area, I had to evaluate the situation throughout the 90 minutes and keep my options open,” Allegri added.
Despite AC Milan’s recent struggles with penalties, it was surprising to see Leao successfully convert his first-ever Serie A spot-kick, especially with so many players unavailable.
“I instructed Rafa to take the penalty after he practiced and executed it well in training this morning. Fofana is also a capable penalty taker, and we must improve our conversion rate. I typically don’t watch when my teams take penalties; it’s brought me luck in Turin, and again tonight,” Allegri explained.
This win marks the first occasion Milan has stood alone at the top of the Serie A table since Week 8 of the 2023-24 season. Is Allegri sending a signal to the rest of the league concerning the Scudetto race?
“We are not sending a message. It was merely a victory; we need many more points to achieve our goals for this season. We hope to have Loftus-Cheek or Nkunku back for the next match; if not, we’ll continue with this group of players.”
“We just need to keep pushing and avoid getting ahead of ourselves.”