Donadoni: Leo is indispensable to Milan. Milan s lack of Pulisic and Rabiot has a big impact

Former Milan player Donadoni was interviewed. He first criticized Milan's game against Pisa, calling it a "missed opportunity" and believing that the team was "too relaxed" after taking the lead. He denied the idea of ​​fatigue, pointing out that Milan did not have European competition and should not be tired in October, but "lacked the performance they should have".

Milan suffered a disappointing draw against Pisa and lost top spot. What do you think?

A missed opportunity, no ifs, no buts. Milan took the lead quickly and then handled it so poorly that they were a bit surprised by Pisa, who gave it their all.

Why did Milan fail to win the game?

Well, Allegri is facing several injuries. The absence of Rabiot and Pulisic has been particularly severe. But beyond that, my feeling on Friday was that the team relaxed too much after taking the lead and didn't play their best.

Some people also talk about fatigue.

I don’t think so. Granted, absences in recent weeks have hampered the rotation, but with Milan out of European competition, it seems to me that they are unlikely to be tired come October. Rather, it was a lack of performance: the Rossoneri's XI was far superior to their opponents, but they did not let this difference play its due role.

About Leo

When talking about Leo, it is always possible to exaggerate at either extreme. He was decisive with three goals against Fiorentina and Pisa, but the question is always the same: does he maintain continuity in the game? I mean, helping the team with and without the ball? Look, to me, he could do more. When he does that, then we can talk about a player who is truly indispensable for Allegri and Milan.

So, has scoring goals become Jimenez’s problem now? He has yet to open his game after eight rounds of the league.

If we think about how badly Milan wanted and bought him as a striker, I would say yes. It seems obvious that Jimenez is going through an unhappy period on a goal-scoring level. There's no shortage of input from him, but it's only logical to expect more from a center when you're playing in that jersey.

What is it about Allegri's team that convinces you?

Of course it is more like a "team" than last season. In this regard, I believe that in addition to the coach, the arrival of Modric is also crucial. The Croatian is a role model who also inspires his teammates.

Modric is 40 years old, and you retired at the age of 37 in that era, which was almost an exception at the time.

No, no, there were other people like me at that time. If you are lucky enough not to have suffered serious injuries and have the ability to maintain professionalism at all times, you can now play well even at 40 years old. Modric, a true champion, is proof of that.

Atalanta does not have Modric, but they remain undefeated in the league.

But they draw too many. They are now scoring fewer goals than they have been in the past, although in the end they are still the fifth most powerful attacking team in Serie A, with Roma at the top of the table scoring four fewer goals than them. Let’s also not forget that Juric also had to play without several players earlier in the season due to various injuries.

Goalkeeper Carnesechi was very harsh after the game against Cremonese, criticizing the team's slow pace. Juric suggested that he be more professional. Who do you support?

This is a question that can only be answered by someone who understands the thousand facets of Atlanta's locker room, so I feel like it's inappropriate for me to answer it from the outside.

Who will be decisive in tonight's showdown?

It is easy to answer that it is Atlanta's Lookman or Milan's Leo, but I believe that Atlanta vs Milan will not be an individualistic game, but a collectivist one. I'm expecting a dynamic game with both sides having chances and a desire to win. At least I hope so. In Italy, we often see some games, especially top-level matchups, where they think more about not losing than taking away three points. The last game between Juventus and Milan is a fitting example.

Speaking of Juventus, Tudor became the first coach to be fired in Serie A this season: Did you expect it?

If we look at the standings, we will find that it is very compact. Therefore, I don't think Tudor was fired purely because of performance issues. After all, his Juventus are only three points away from Kivu's Inter and six points away from leaders and defending champions Antonio Conte's Napoli. However, there are always signs that convince a club to take a decision as drastic as a sacking. Clearly, at Juve, they see something deeper than the defeats to Como and Lazio.