Allegri vows to restore AC Milan's luster, bets on Modric

SINGAPORE — Massimiliano Allegri vowed Monday to rekindle AC Milan's former glory, as he returns to the faltering Italian giant for a second spell as manager.

The Rossoneri turned to serial winner Allegri after the club slumped to its worst league finish in a decade — leading to Sergio Conceicao's axing after five miserable months in charge.

"The goal for this season is to return to the Champions League, as a club like AC Milan has to play in Europe," Allegri told reporters in Singapore, where his team will face Arsenal on Wednesday in a preseason friendly.

"This is the sole objective for me from the get-go. These are the games the team lives for. We're not going to look back, but we are looking forward to the future now," added the 57-year-old Italian.

Milan ended the 2024-25 campaign in eighth place — missing out on European qualification — and fell short in the Coppa Italia final against Bologna.

In the aftermath, Allegri was brought in to replace Conceicao at the helm, a berth he previously occupied from 2010 to 2014.

Allegri won the Scudetto in his first season in charge of Milan — the club's first since 2004 — before enjoying a dominant spell at Juventus, where he clinched five straight Serie A titles.

"It has been more than a decade since I first took charge of Milan. The situation is obviously different now," he said.

"A lot has changed, not just in Milan, but in the world of football."

"But, the overall goal remains the same, and that is to get this club back to where it belongs, and that is the Champions League," said Allegri.

New Milan sporting director Igli Tare didn't hide his admiration for Allegri a few months back, when he described him and Antonio Conte as the "best" Italian coaches.

Allegri said he will look to lean on the recent signing of Luka Modric from Real Madrid to help restore Milan's status among Europe's elite, where it is a seven-time continental champion.

At 39, the 2018 Ballon d'Or winner still has plenty to offer, and Allegri will be counting on his wealth of experience and leadership to inspire the team.

"Modric is a proven champion who does not need any introduction. He is a role model not only for his discipline, but from a technical perspective," said Allegri.

AC Milan defender Fikayo Tomori has disclosed that the team is gradually adapting to new manager's tactics.

He made this known ahead of Wednesday's preseason friendly clash against Arsenal in Singapore.

Talking to Milan Reports, Tomori, who discussed the team's poor performance last season, stated that the players are eager to return to the Champions League.

"Last season, obviously, wasn't a good one. We obviously want to do better, we're working hard and preparing for next season. We're very happy to be able to play matches here.

"Every coach has his own ideas on how to defend, how to attack, how and when to press. We're adapting to Allegri's requests.

"Last season was horrible. The feeling is different from last season, and we want to be ready to get good results," he said.

"We want to return to the Champions League, a competition where Milan should always be."

On facing Arsenal, Tomori added: "I know English teams well; they're tough to play against, and they're a good team. But, we want to do well in every match, prepare well for the game and for the upcoming season.

"We're ready for the first test. We arrived last night with a lot of fans to welcome us. We're pumped for this match."

Agencies