Allegri's magic or Portuguese blunders - why Milan are drastically better defensively

"Matteo Gabbia, Fikayo Tomori and Strahinja Pavlovic, who all played together in the unit, now look like new players. Indeed, the Englishman looks like his former self, whilst Gabbia is on a road to potentially donning the armband one day. With Pavlovic, the Serbian has established himself as a wildcard. A solid defender with the overzealous heart to attack space with ease."

"Throughout the year, there were several backline partnerships utilised by Paulo Fonseca and Sergio Conceicao. Indeed, across the back three and back four systems, it quickly became apparent that there was very little faith or trust in the options. Yet, it can be argued that the defensive options this year were weakened with the sale of Malick Thiaw. Yet, everything is better?"

"Massimiliano Allegri's appointment offered two things. A manager who knows Serie A, and a manager who knows how to keep the ball out of the goal. Indeed, Allegri is one of the most defensive-first coaches of the modern game. Whilst his sides are not immune to conceding, they have massively sorted themselves out at the back."

AC Milan has dramatically improved defensively this season, conceding only 20 goals in Serie A with 11 matches remaining, compared to 43 last season. Massimiliano Allegri's appointment brought defensive-first coaching expertise and tactical stability. The improvement reflects both Allegri's defensive philosophy and renewed confidence in the backline. Defenders like Fikayo Tomori, Matteo Gabbia, and Strahinja Pavlovic have flourished under consistent selection, appearing revitalized compared to their performances under previous managers. Koni De Winter has also improved significantly since the turn of the year. While Malick Thiaw's departure weakened options, the current defensive unit demonstrates enhanced cohesion and performance through established partnerships and tactical clarity.

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