Allegri tests Leao in new role and trials new right-back ahead of Arsenal friendly
Milan are putting in their final preparations ahead of their first pre-season test under Massimiliano Allegri, with a friendly against Arsenal in Singapore awaiting them on Wednesday, and reports in the build-up claim that the coach has trialled Rafael Leao in a new role.
Milan, who parted company with Sergio Conceicao at the end of the 2024-25 season, are preparing for a return to action under former head coach Allegri, who was officially re-appointed at the end of May.
The Rossoneri, who have welcomed new signings in Samuele Ricci, Luka Modric and Pietro Terracciano, are currently in Singapore for a friendly against Arsenal on Wednesday, and will also face reigning Premier League champions Liverpool in Hong Kong on Saturday.
In his Tuesday training session ahead of the Arsenal test, Allegri tested a system that looked like a 5-4-1 in defence, and more like a 4-4-2 in attack, according to La Gazzetta dello Sport.
With a shortage of strikers in the Milan camp – Santiago Gimenez is not with the team as he has been given an extended break after the Gold Cup – Leao was used as the Rossoneri centre-forward in both phases of the game.
As per La Gazzetta dello Sport, Milan lined up with three centre-backs in Fikayo Tomori, Malick Thiaw and Strahinja Pavlovic, with Alexis Saelemaekers and Davide Bartesaghi deployed as the right and left wing-backs respectively.
They played behind a midfield quartet that included Samuele Ricci and Ruben Loftus-Cheek in the middle, Christian Pulisic wide on the left and Yunus Musah playing a flexible role on the right.
When in possession and moving forwards, Saelemaekers would push forwards from wing-back and become more of a wide midfielder or winger, with Musah moving into the middle along with Ricci.
As a knock-on effect, that left Tomori playing as the right-back in what looked like a Rossoneri back four in possession.
Pulisic would then keep his position on the left wing, with Loftus-Cheek pushing forwards to join Leao in a two-man attack.
Modric and Gimenez are not currently with the Rossoneri squad, Emerson Royal, Yacine Adli and Ismael Bennacer have also not travelled to Asia, while Alex Jimenez and Youssouf Fofana are with the team but are currently working individually.
Where Leao played in Milan training ahead of Arsenal test
5-4-1 (in defence): Maignan; Saelemaekers, Tomori, Thiaw, Pavlovic, Bartesaghi; Musah, Ricci, Loftus-Cheek, Pulisic; Leao.
4-4-2 (in attack): Maignan; Tomori, Thiaw, Pavlovic, Bartesaghi; Saelemaekers, Musah, Ricci, Pulisic; Leao, Loftus-Cheek.