Giovanni Galeone, former coach sat down in an interview with those at La Repubblica. Teacher and confidant of Max Allegri, the coach shared his views on Milan - Bologna and revealed some behind-the-scenes details from Milan’s summer transfer window.
On the next Milan match, which will be played against Bologna at San Siro:
“Allegri and Italiano are coaches with opposite ideas. I have great respect for Italiano and I love Bologna’s play in the final third. He applies what used to be my obsession: pushing hard in the attacking zone and creating a pinball effect around the edge of the box, which gives freedom to those with talent and letting them take risks. Gasperini used to say the same thing to me when he had Ilicic and Papu Gómez there: let them do their tricks, sooner or later the defender will bite. Italiano pushes a lot with his full-backs and builds from the defence. Allegri almost never attacked with his full-backs, let alone with the center-backs. He prefers runs from the mezzali, and that’s why Milan signed Rabiot. He learned that in Pescara. I used to demand a lot of goals from midfielders, and with me Max scored 12.”
On Milan boss Massimiliano Allegri:
“I expected Milan to take him right after Fonseca. A big mistake not doing it. In this Milan, well-built from midfield upwards, what doesn’t convince me is the defence, both as a unit and as individuals. Max needs time there, maybe also different players. I told him to sign Xhaka, he replied: ‘He’s too slow.’ I never forgave Max for saying no to Arsenal, that was a great project. He also turned down PSG, and confided to me that winning in France was too easy, he saw it as a league for bachelors and married men.”
On the national team, Galeone said:
"Petrucci was already talking to me about it when he was at CONI, but before the national team Max has one thought: the Champions League. Italiano? One day he could be coach of the national team too. He has made huge progress and winning a trophy was an important step. When you play well but don’t win, you torment yourself. With a cup you gain confidence and the players’ trust in your ideas. In Italy, few know how to give their teams an identity. Allegri’s and Italiano’s teams always have one, and a very clear one. Their football comes from precise ideas, never improvisation.”
