Marco and Rabiot clash over Milan's lack of concentration

AC Milan celebrated a victory in Serie A against Atalanta, but French midfielder Adrien Rabiot left the pitch angry, accusing his teammates of losing concentration in the second half. The team, with four wins and three draws in seven matches, has not suffered any defeat, although the performance did not convince the captain.

Match development and Rabiot's criticism

The match seemed under Milan's control: Gonçalo Ramos opened the scoring in the 24th minute with a penalty, and Rabiot extended it to 2‑0 in the 43rd minute. However, Mario Gila scored for Atalanta in the 57th minute, and the lead became uncomfortable when Gianluca Gaetano reduced the deficit in the 66th minute and Nikola Krstovic pressed again in the 81st minute. After the final whistle, Rabiot said: "We had a very good first half. Then, strangely, in the second we lost our way. I'm angry: if we play a second half like that, there's no point in playing well in the first. Luckily, we won in the end, but I'm not sure we deserved it".

Reactions and context of the frustration

Rabiot recalled a similar situation with the French national team, where in July he criticised his teammates after a "shameful" first half against Spain, according to statements to BeIN Sports. In that case, the team had started down 0‑4 and he described the performance as "disappointing". At Milan, the Frenchman again pointed to the lack of intensity from the substitutes and the need to work on the mentality, citing coach Stefano Pioli as responsible for correcting the drop in concentration.

Journalist Natalia Pérez of La Presse reported that Milan remains unbeaten in Serie A, but the pressure is mounting ahead of the next Europa League fixture against Bournemouth, where Rabiot expects to see a more consistent attitude throughout the ninety minutes.

Marco Alpozzi, also of La Presse, emphasized that the victory, while important, raised doubts about the team's solidity in games where the opponent shows resistance. Rabiot's criticism focused on the need for all players, including those who come on as substitutes, to contribute more and maintain concentration until the end.

With the spectre of Antonio Conte's possible departure and pressure on coach Stefano Pioli, Milan is looking to consolidate its position in Serie A while trying to prevent a lack of focus from costing them points again.