French midfielder Adrien Rabiot has raised a significant concern within the Rossoneri locker room, pointing to a critical decline in the team’s spirit and willingness to work for each other.
Milan’s recent 3-0 defeat against Udinese has sent ripples through the club, amplifying the mini-crisis that has seen the team suffer three losses in their last four matches. These defeats, interspersed with a hard-fought victory against Torino, have left the team vulnerable and the fanbase concerned.
The boos directed at Rafael Leão are a clear indicator of the public’s dissatisfaction with the team’s current negative form. However, beyond the Portuguese winger’s performance and role, a more serious alarm bell has been sounded by one of the team’s senior players, Adrien Rabiot. In his post-match reflections, the former Juventus and Marseille midfielder highlighted a fundamental factor that the squad seems to have lost during this crucial part of the season: the desire to help each other on the field.
RABIOT’S WORDS
Speaking to Sportmediaset after the 3-0 loss to Udinese, where he himself did not shine, Rabiot first took responsibility, then defended Leão from the crowd’s jeers, and finally raised concerns about the team’s current mindset during matches.
“I am angry because I myself could have done much better. I know the team follows me, and if I give a little more, it’s better for the team. Honestly and clearly, I can say I could have done better. As a team, we could have also done much better, like we were before: more united. We’ve lost that on the field: the desire to work for a teammate, to come back together, and to battle together. This is what we need to regain; it’s what has served us well so far.”
THE FORMATION IS NOT THE ISSUE
Rabiot himself confirmed that the problem is not the formation or the switch from a more compact 3-5-2 to a 4-3-3. “It’s not the formation, but the players’ willingness, ours on the field: to put in determination, to chase the opponent, to do things right.”
A SERIOUS PROBLEM
The issue, therefore, is not technical or tactical but rather one of attitude and team cohesion. This is something far more difficult for Massimiliano Allegri to address, as it’s not something he can influence with a substitution or a tactical choice. Rabiot spoke of a mental ‘switch’ that needs to happen, as much is at stake not only for the present but also for the club’s future. Milan has unexpectedly found itself embroiled in a fight for a Champions League spot that was not anticipated, and they will need to fight with every available weapon.
THE SCHEDULE DOES NOT HELP
The upcoming schedule for Milan until the end of the season will not make things easier. In the next match, they face a Verona side fighting for survival, and more significantly, in two rounds, on Sunday, April 26th, at 8:45 PM, they will host Juventus at San Siro in a crucial direct encounter for a Champions League place – a match they could have approached with a much larger advantage.
The alarm has been sounded. Allegri will need to draw upon all his experience as a manager to unify the group and best conclude a season that simply cannot afford to miss out on bringing the Rossoneri back to the Champions League.