Milan coach Massimiliano Allegri expressed frustration after his team’s 0-0 draw with Juventus, citing missed opportunities and poor finishing.
Milan coach Massimiliano Allegri admitted frustration after his team’s 0-0 draw with Juventus at the Allianz Stadium. The Italian coach lamented the missed opportunities that cost them three points, particularly Christian Pulisic’s penalty miss in the second half.
Despite the draw, Milan remains unbeaten since their opening game loss to Cremonese and looks to build on their resolute defensive performances.
Allegri praised his team’s defensive performance, saying, “The positive is that we didn’t concede.” However, he emphasised the need for more ruthlessness in front of goal, stating, “When we had Juventus in our hands, we needed more ruthlessness. At certain moments, you have to kill the game.”
Milan had several chances to secure a vital win but was poor in their finishing, with Pulisic’s penalty miss epitomising their woes.
Regarding Rafael Leao’s missed chances, Allegri explained that the Portuguese forward is still finding his rhythm after being out for 45 days. “He’s been out for 45 days, so he’s still finding rhythm. Last week he came on out of necessity and did well. He and Nkunku are technical players who can solve matches.” Leao’s movement on Luka Modric’s pass was perfect, but he failed to score, prompting Allegri to remark, “He has genius, but now he must learn to determine matches – that’s what makes him decisive.”
Allegri also praised Santiago Gimenez’s performance, saying, “He played well, moved well on the penalty action. He works so much for the team, that’s important.” Despite Pulisic’s penalty miss, Allegri was impressed with his overall performance, stating, “Despite the missed penalty, he played an extraordinary match.”
The draw marked Allegri’s return to the Allianz Stadium since his departure from Juventus in 2024. The Italian coach reflected on the emotional experience, saying, “It was emotional. I saw so many people I worked with, people who supported me for eight years. I’m grateful, but now I’m in Milan and we have a lot of work to do.” Allegri emphasised the need for his team to capitalise on scoring opportunities, stating, “When it’s time to bite, we must bite.”
Milan generated an expected goals (xG) total of 1.74 from their 13 attempts, compared to Juventus’ 0.68 from their 12 shots. The draw means Milan falls two points behind leaders Napoli. Despite the frustration, Allegri remains optimistic about his team’s chances, saying, “We take this point, but we definitely could have done better.”
The Italian coach will look to improve his team’s finishing in upcoming matches, with the goal of securing crucial wins and staying competitive in the Serie A title race.
