AC Milan Coach Massimiliano Allegri Defends Team After Champions League Miss

Milan’s defeat to Cagliari left the club outside the Champions League places, as Roma and Como overtook them on the final Serie A matchday. The result dropped Milan to fifth despite starting the day in third, while Juventus also finished outside the top four, confirming a rare season without either club in Europe’s leading competition.

The outcome completes a four-game winless sequence for Milan at San Siro, with one draw and three defeats, the worst home run since April 2021. Across the campaign, Milan lost five league matches at home, a key factor in missing Champions League qualification despite collecting 70 points, the club’s highest total for a season ending outside the top four.

On the decisive day, Milan knew a win against Cagliari would secure Champions League football, as the team held third place with their fate in their own hands. Roma, Como and Juventus were all close behind, so any slip carried a major risk, and Milan’s failure to take three points proved costly when results elsewhere went against them.

Milan made a strong start when Alexis Saelemaekers scored early, suggesting a routine home victory. Instead, Cagliari overturned the deficit with goals from Gennaro Borrelli and Juan Rodriguez, either side of half-time. The visitors created several more chances and Milan relied heavily on Mike Maignan, who produced nine saves to limit the damage.

Those missed opportunities at the other end meant Milan could not react, and the 2-1 defeat confirmed a fifth-place finish. Their tally of 70 points, using the three-points-for-a-win system, is the highest in club history for a season without Champions League football. Roma and Como claimed third and fourth place with victories in their own fixtures.

The wider impact stretches beyond Milan. Juventus also failed to secure a Champions League spot, so both Italian giants are absent from the same edition of the competition for the first time since the 1992-93 rebrand. Statistical provider Opta highlighted that historic outcome as one of the key notes of the Serie A season.

Unfortunately, we cannot change the result now. When we lose five home games the way we did, we end up in this position, Allegri told DAZN Italia. It had started well, we thought by taking the lead, the result was to be taken for granted, but that was not the case, and we defended very badly, especially the first goal.

I have nothing to reproach my lads for; they did absolutely everything possible to qualify for the Champions League. I am disappointed and angry, because we missed out on the Champions League. After we beat Genoa last week, nobody expected a defeat like this. Unfortunately, this is sport, we have to accept it. We need to evaluate the whole seasonwe must be clear-eyed when looking at the overall situation.

I don't know about the future, right now my thoughts only go to the lack of results, Allegri responded. Naturally, the whole year must be evaluated, mistakes were made, but there is no point talking about it now.

Key finishing positions in Serie A are shown below, highlighting Milan’s narrow miss and Juventus’ absence from the top four alongside Roma and Como’s success in securing Champions League places.

Milan’s season ends with frustration after failing to convert a strong points total into Champions League football, while Roma and Como move into Europe’s top competition and Juventus also look on from outside. Allegri stresses the need for a clear review of the campaign, accepting the outcome while recognising how fine margins shaped the final table.