'Breath of oxygen' Allegri brings hope for Milan revival
Massimiliano Allegri has given AC Milan a "breath of oxygen", says Matteo Gabbia, as the veteran manager looks to revive the Italian giant.
After missing out on the European places with an eighth-place finish in Serie A in 2024-2025, Allegri has been charged with rebuilding Milan, having won the Scudetto in 2010-2011 in his first stint at the club.
Early signs are positive for six-time Serie A winner Allegri, with defender Matteo Gabbia describing his arrival as being like "a breath of oxygen to the team after a difficult year".
That change of atmosphere has been praised by a number of players on Milan's pre-season tour of Asia.
"Compared to the past, everything has changed. I feel like this year Milan will be a team," Portuguese winger Rafael Leao said.
"We have important players who can make the difference, but above all there is a great team spirit."
The positivity has been reflected in Milan's pre-season results, with a 1-0 loss to Arsenal the only blight on a tour that has also seen a 4-2 win over Premier League champion Liverpool and a 9-0 thrashing of Australian outfit Perth Glory.
After last season's disappointment, Milan sought to clear house, with the big-money exit of star midfielder Tijjani Reijnders to Manchester City, as well as the departures of Theo Hernandez, Emerson Royal, and Luka Jovic.
In their place, Milan has looked to youth, with midfielder Samuele Ricci joining from Torino for €23m and Pervis Estupinan joining the club from Brighton for a reported €17m (£14.7m) fee.
The exception to that has been the arrival of 40 year-old legendary Croatian midfielder Luka Modric on a free transfer from Real Madrid.
Modric will be expected to provide mentorship to the younger players in the squad, as well as a proven track record of winning, something that he is keen to continue with Milan.
"We remember Milan as one of the best teams in the world. We must not be content just with a mediocre season or qualifying for the Champions League," Modric said.
"That is my vision of Milan, but we must also be humble, work hard to get the team back to the highest level. I am very competitive and I want to bring this to the team.
"The minimum objective is to qualify for the Champions League, but Milan must also fight to win trophies. It is my objective, and must be for anyone who works at Milan."
Milan kicks off its Serie A campaign on 23 August by welcoming Cremonese to the San Siro, and Allegri will be hopeful to build the club's early optimism into trophies.
