Rabiot Defends Leão: “The Whistles Were Unfair”
Following the heavy 3-0 home defeat to Udinese, Adrien Rabiot stepped forward in the post-match to openly defend Rafael Leão, who had been targeted by whistles from the San Siro crowd. The French midfielder described those whistles as unfair, admitting he personally suffered watching a teammate being booed by his own supporters.
Solidarity among teammates is a fundamental value in any dressing room, and Rabiot’s words reflect how deeply the situation affected the group. However, the crowd’s reaction was in some ways inevitable after such an underwhelming performance — one in which the entire team fell well short of expectations, as Allegri himself acknowledged post-match, stating that the whistles were “deserved” in such circumstances.
The Tactical Debate: Is the 4-3-3 to Blame, or Is It Something Deeper?
One of the most hotly discussed topics in recent weeks has been the choice of formation. Many have pointed the finger at the switch to the 4-3-3, arguing that Milan are not built to play this system. But the data tells a more complex story.
Milan have lost important matches with the 3-5-2 as well — defeats against Napoli, Parma and Lazio all carry the hallmarks of a deeper slump that goes beyond tactical decisions. Over the past two months, no formation has produced consistent results. The argument that “it’s the formation’s fault” therefore seems reductive at best.
And it is precisely on this point that Rabiot‘s words become the true focal point of the post-match discussion.
Rabiot’s Warning: “We Run Less, We Don’t Help Each Other”
The former Juventus and Paris Saint-Germain midfielder pointed to a problem that is far removed from tactical considerations: “On the pitch we run less, we don’t help each other enough and we don’t fight like we used to.”
These are significant words — a collective self-critique that is echoed in comments previously made by Samuele Ricci, who had already admitted that on some occasions the team was not “mentally present on the pitch” — a statement that caused controversy at the time and now carries even greater weight.
The picture that emerges is that of a squad which, having fallen out of the title race, has suffered a significant motivational drop. In football, the mental side is everything: when a group stops fighting with the same intensity as before, results inevitably suffer.
A Warning That Cannot Be Ignored: Milanello Must Respond
Rabiot’s comments cannot go unnoticed at Milanello. Allegri’s coaching staff now face the task of addressing not only tactical and physical aspects, but above all the mental component of the group. Rediscovering the fighting spirit that defined the best moments of the season is now the absolute priority.
Milan still have enough weeks remaining to correct course and close the season with the minimum required result: Champions League qualification. But every single player needs to rediscover their best, with the hunger and commitment that drove the team to challenge for major objectives in the earlier stages of the campaign.
