Allegri confirms he will quit Milan at the end of the season

Massimiliano Allegri has confirmed that he will step down as head coach of Milan at the end of the current, and disappointing, season.

The 46-year-old was unveiled at the San Siro giants in the summer of 2010, and he led them to the Serie A title in his first season. The following season they were denied maximum points against Juventus when a Sulley Muntari shot crossed the line, but this wasn’t spotted by the officials and this contributed to the Bianconeri winning the Scudetto.

Last term the Rossoneri finished in third position, but this time round Allegri has a huge task on his hands to repeat such a standing. Milan are currently in 13th place having won just four of their 17 matches, and are 17 points behind the final UEFA Champions League qualifying spot. In fact, they are just five points off the relegation zone.

Many fans have been calling for a change of coach for some time now, and Allegri has confirmed he will stand down at the end of the season. As for his remaining time at the club, he accepts finishing in third place is a tall order, but he hopes to end his reign by winning the Coppa Italia and, more impressively, the Champions League.

“I could’ve been the coach who earned Milan’s second star, their 20th Scudetto,” the former Cagliari boss told La Gazzetta dello Sport. “A phantom goal played a decisive role in my second Rossoneri season. We were not very lucky. I leave a good team that earned the love of the fans, a team that with a few adjustments will have a future.

“I have always worked with enthusiasm and will continue right to the end. Why am I leaving? I decided the day it was made official I’d remain for one more season. I liked the idea of staying and finishing the job, but four years in one club is a long time. I don’t know who will be the next Milan coach and it’s not my problem.”

Milan take on Atletico Madrid in the last 16 of the Champions League, but this is by no means a comfortable passage to the quarter-finals. The Spaniards, coached by former Internazionale midfielder Diego Simeone, are currently behind leaders Barcelona in La Liga by virtue of goal difference only, and in Diego Costa, they have one of the most prolific goalscorers in European football with 23 goals in just 20 appearances.

As to who will succeed Allegri for the 2014/15 campaign, it has been suggested that their former player, Clarence Seedorf, could be in contention. Now plying his trade for Botafogo in Brazil, the 37-year-old spent a decade at the Rossoneri from 2002-2012, during which time he won two Scudetto’s and two Champions League crowns.

 

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