Playing in Europe a must for Milan: Allegri

With seven Champions League titles and 19 Serie A crowns, AC Milan stand among the most successful football clubs in the world.

- Deepanraj Ganesan

But the Rossoneri's dip in recent years has taken some of the shine off their legacy.

In the 2024-25 season, the Italian side were knocked out of the Champions League at the group stage. They also finished eighth in Serie A, failing to qualify for Europe for the upcoming campaign.

So as Massimiliano Allegri returns to the San Siro after he was rehired as Milan's coach in May to replace the sacked Sergio Conceicao, the Italian tactician has set an immediate target of returning to Europe.

The last time Milan missed out on European competition was in 2019-20, when they were banned from Uefa tournaments for a season after breaching Financial Fair Play rules.

"The goal for this season must be to enter the Champions League. AC Milan has to play in Europe," said Allegri, 57, through a translator at a pre-match press conference on July 21 at the National Stadium, where they will face Arsenal in a friendly on July 23 as part of the Singapore Festival of Football.