"AC Milan made the choice to go into the 2025-26 season with just 19 outfield players, and it is a decision that could hurt them. As La Gazzetta dello Sport recall, Allegri hinted for the first time after the draw against Pisa that the squad is not enough. He stated: "The absence of Rabiot and Pulisic isn't the problem tonight, it's a question of the number of players you have available for substitutions.""
"Allegri's complaint is therefore surprising, both because the club's plans for a (large) reduction in squad size were clear since the summer, and because the coach agreed to the squad slimming down. At least, in front of the cameras. What the coach can complain about is that the quality of the reserve players isn't up to par with the starters for a team aiming for the Scudetto. The absence of Rabiot and Pulisic is incontrovertible proof of this."
"In the last two league matches, following the Rossoneri's international disaster, Milan showed up with glaringly inadequate benches. Against Fiorentina, they had only five outfield players, two of whom were brought in from Milan Futuro. Against Pisa on Friday night, they also had five outfield players (one from the second team). The midfield was particularly depleted, with Jashari, Rabiot and Loftus-Cheek all missing."
AC Milan deliberately trimmed the squad to 19 outfield players for 2025-26, a decision driven by the absence of European commitments. The reduced roster leaves the team vulnerable to injury crises, a risk that became evident after the market closed on September 1st. Coach Allegri signaled concern about the limited number of available substitutions after the draw with Pisa, highlighting that reserve-player quality does not match starters in key areas. Recent matches exposed the problem as Milan used benches with only five outfield players, sometimes including second-team call-ups, and central midfield was particularly depleted.
Read at SempreMilan
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