The Sporting Director and Coach have defined the guidelines for the new Rossoneri, covering tactics and the characteristics of incoming players. With the 4-3-3, farewell (or almost) to the attacking midfielder.
When Igli Tare spoke of a team that “must be compact, dominate games, have players with great ball control,” everyone`s thoughts inevitably went back twelve months. That was when, within the same walls at Via Aldo Rossi number 8, Paulo Fonseca, during his presentation, said: “I want to build a courageous, offensive, dominant, reactive team that doesn`t allow opponents time to think, with a strong identity. The quality of play is important to me.” We know how it went: Paulo certainly had the idea, but there weren`t enough players capable of executing it. The 2024-25 Milan, even after the winter transfer window, remained mostly a transition and counter-attacking team, lacking possession-based play.
Midfield Focus
Therefore, it remains to be seen who will arrive at Milanello in the coming weeks. For now, the focus is on player sales – a density of departures rarely seen recently – before moving on to new faces. The first, although the signature isn`t quite official, is Modric. And okay, it`s clear to everyone that in terms of technique and ball control, this is a significant step up. Tare also stated that `the midfield will be the department where we intervene the most, as we believe it`s important to increase the team`s quality of play.` Not coincidentally, the management`s wishlist includes names like Xhaka, Jashari, and Javi Guerra. The big challenge is compensating for the absence of Reijnders, who was one of the very few truly high-level ball players in the squad. However, bringing in technically refined players capable of genuinely raising a department`s technical level is expensive. Not all targets can be acquired.
Tactical Shape and Balance
Meanwhile, it appears clear that the playing system, at least initially, will be the 4-3-3. There were moments last season when it was used, but often in hybrid forms, depending on Pulisic`s position. With Allegri, a coach who favors width, the system should be more defined. Crucially, the `true` three-man midfield is expected to provide the defensive balance that last year`s 4-2-3-1 lacked. According to the Rossoneri sporting director, the linchpin will be the midfielder positioned deep in front of the defense. It should be noted, of course, that modern coaches are no longer fundamentalists regarding formations. A base concept is established, and the game then evolves in other ways: last year`s Rossoneri back four itself often shifted into a back three in possession. However, the 4-3-3 effectively marks the disappearance – or at least a clear reduction – of the attacking midfielder role. This brings Pulisic back into consideration, as he alternated with Reijnders behind the center-forward. It`s easy to predict that the USA captain will often drift centrally.
The Attack
Another delicate area is the center of the attack. While Pulisic and Leao are two pillars on the flanks, it remains to be seen how Gimenez`s second season with the Rossoneri will unfold. His first season had more shadows than highlights. It began brightly but then faded as the weeks passed, without the team managing to support him effectively. Tare was also clear about the center-forward position: alongside Santi [likely Gimenez], who naturally tends to move deep before seeking depth runs, the other number 9 will need to be a penalty-box striker. Someone like Giroud: less movement, more of a focal point, characteristics useful for enabling assists from the wingers.
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