It was October 2, 2010, when Allegri, in Parma, earned his first away win as Milan coach.
Max relied on a midfielder of immense talent, Andrea Pirlo, and was rewarded by his beautiful winning goal. On November 8, 2025, the coach is again on Milan’s bench and, in the same stadium, chases his 100th victory with the Rossoneri.
Can Modric repeat Pirlo’s magic in Parma?
The keys of the team now belong to another midfield champion, Luka Modric. In that 2010 team there was Ibrahimovic; tonight, Zlatan will be in Parma as a club director. That Milan also had Ronaldinho; the Milan of 2025 has another gifted forward with braids, Leao. The similarities stop there, for now. Pirlo’s Milan won, Modric’s Milan will try tonight. Three points would mean top spot for now, taking Milan from 21 to 24, waiting for the results of Napoli, Inter, and Roma.
Pirlo, the playmaker, scored from long range after picking up the ball in midfield. Today, the throne belongs to Luka Modric, and his control is firm. The Croatian will play his eleventh start in eleven matches, never once giving up the captain’s role. Luka leads with authority and dictates play. He ranks first in Serie A among midfielders for balls played, completed passes, and passes in the final third. He is also second in defensive duels won. Modric supports the defense, holds the midfield, and contributes more than any other in the build-up. Against Atalanta, in the previous round, he received his first yellow card, a sign that alongside class, he adds strength for the team.
Work and quality. Luka was supposed to be managed, but he is the one managing the team. At forty, he makes teammates fifteen or twenty years younger move at his rhythm. Only one player has spent more minutes on the pitch in Serie A: Gabbia, aged twenty-six, with 900 minutes. Luka has played 875, just twenty-five fewer. Of the total available time, he missed 16 minutes in the opener against Cremonese and another nine in Udine, where his substitution was met with a standing ovation. Modric has played more than Saelemaekers, third in appearances, and more than anyone else. Fatigue does not cloud his thoughts. His latest match, against Roma at San Siro, proves it. In his tenth league match out of ten, Luka led the team in completed passes (38), crosses attempted (7), recoveries (7), touches (6), and chances created (2). He was also second for completed passes in the final third, with eight, writes La Gazzetta dello Sport.
How far can Modric push the limits?
Luka rested only in the Coppa Italia match against Lecce. He also played another 218 minutes with Croatia, reaching 192 international appearances. That total will grow during the mid-month break dedicated to national teams. Croatia, captained by Modric, will face the Faroe Islands on Friday the 14th and Montenegro on Monday the 17th, both World Cup qualifiers. The Croatians are almost certain to qualify, and Luka will lead them toward mathematical confirmation. They need only one point to book their place in America. It’s unlikely that coach Dalic will spare him, though he might manage his minutes depending on Group L’s standings. Once qualification is secured, likely against the Faroe Islands, Modric will be able to conserve energy.
Once back at Milanello, he will face the most demanding preparation period yet, leading to the derby against Inter, his first in Serie A. His record against the Nerazzurri is strong: six matches, five wins, one with Tottenham, four with Real Madrid, and one defeat, on October 20, 2010, in London.
At the top. With him, Milan has improved defensively, following Max’s approach: “Modric reads where the ball will go before anyone else, but now the whole team knows how to position itself when out of possession to avoid conceding.” To climb higher in the table, Milan must produce more in attack, and Luka will help. In terms of performance, he cannot do better: Modric is already Serie A’s top-rated player with an average score of 7.1 from Gazzetta.
