Massimiliano Allegri downplays talk of a Serie A title push as Milan visit Pisa at Arena Garibaldi on Friday, stressing qualification for the Champions League remains the main target, despite Milan sitting second and chasing leaders Inter in the standings.
Milan have 50 points and trail Inter by eight, yet could match their second-best tally at this stage with a win in Pisa. They took 53 points after the same number of games in 1995-96 and 61 in 2003-04, winning the Scudetto in both those seasons, while Opta gives Inter an 84.8% title chance, ahead of Milan on 11.4%, Napoli on 2.8%, Juventus on 0.6% and Roma on 0.4%.
Allegri again underlined that the campaign is judged first on a top-four finish and a Champions League return, not on catching Inter’s
lead over the coming months, even with Milan well placed in the current table.
"Today, we’re in a good position in the table, but it’s not enough,Allergi told reporters as quoted by Football Italia. You don’t even get to the Conference League with 50 points. The closer we get to the Champions League mark, the better we’ll be doing in the standings. That’s why these games before the derby are so important. We’ve had a good season so far. We started by trying to get back into the Champions League, and at the moment we’re in the top four. That’s the goal. We could have done better in the Coppa Italia, which is our big regret. We have to stay focused on our goal, aware that Inter, as we’ve known from the beginning, are a very strong team. Napoli are also strong, Juve are coming back up. It won’t be easy to finish in the top four. "
Pisa have not won a Serie A match since beating Cremonese 1-0 on November 7, yet Allegri pointed out that Milan often slip against teams near the bottom, noting defeats and dropped points against promoted sides, including the opening-day loss to Cremonese in the 2025-26 season and home setbacks against Pisa and Sassuolo.
"At the moment, Pisa are fighting to stay in Serie A. They’re a physical team and create a lot at home, Allegri added. They’ve lost, but have kept games alive. We will have to be very careful and have to be ready for everything. [Friday’s] matchis one of four games that will lead us into the derby. It will be very important all round. We only got two points against Pisa, Cremonese and Parma during the first half of the season. "
Milan vs Pisa Serie A injuries and key players
Allegri confirmed several positive fitness updates before the trip, with an important attacking option set to return and two more forwards progressing, although one wide player still faces a further wait before rejoining the squad fully.
"Pulisic will be available. He trained with the team for the first time yesterday, but he only has 15-20 minutes in his legs, Allegri said. Leao is doing much better, Gimenez even better still. He will be available in around a month. Saelemaekers is still out, but he’s also doing much better. We’ll see if he’s available for Como. "
For hosts Pisa, Rafiu Durosinmi stands out as a major attacking outlet, having been involved in a goal in both of his two home Serie A appearances so far and contributing to two of Pisa’s three home goals this season, while the last player to record a goal involvement in each of his first three Serie A home matches was Olivier Giroud in October 2021.
Milan’s most productive midfielder on the road this season has been Adrien Rabiot, who has eight Serie A goal contributions, with four goals and four assists, seven of those coming in away fixtures, a figure matched only by Como midfielder Nico Paz among midfielders during the current campaign.
Milan’s record against Pisa is impressive, with no defeats in 13 Serie A meetings, including 10 wins and three draws, while Pisa represent the opponent that Milan have faced most often in the competition without losing, and Milan have also collected five wins and one draw from six Serie A visits to Pisa, winning each of the last four away games.
If Milan avoid defeat on Friday, Allegri’s team would reach a 23-match unbeaten sequence in a single Serie A season, equalling the club’s third-longest such run from between September 1992 and March 1993, behind the 24-game streak from December 1950 to May 1951 and the 34-game undefeated league season in 1991-92.
The reverse fixture ended 2-2, Pisa scoring more than once against Milan in Serie A for the first time, yet Pisa have never managed to stay unbeaten against Milan across both league meetings in the same season, and Oscar Hiljemark’s side have drawn 12 of 24 Serie A games this term, alongside one win and 11 defeats, with only Udinese in 2023-24 with 14 and Juventus in 2024-25 with 13 recording more draws in the first 25 matchdays of a Serie A season across the last decade.
Opta’s model expects Milan to extend their series of positive results in this fixture and maintain pressure on Inter, though the forecast still gives Pisa meaningful hope of a result, alongside a sizeable chance of a stalemate at Arena Garibaldi.
| Outcome | Win Probability |
|---|---|
| Pisa win | 17.3% |
| Draw | 22.3% |
| Milan win | 60.4% |
Milan travel to Pisa with a strong historical record, solid statistical backing and renewed squad options, yet Allegri continues to stress Champions League qualification, with Inter still clear in the title race, while Pisa’s battle against relegation and their tendency to draw many matches keep this fixture relevant at both ends of the Serie A table.
