RedBird Capital’s Gerry Cardinale has publicly affirmed his support for AC Milan manager Max Allegri, despite the club’s recent struggles, according to an interview with Gazzetta dello Sport. Cardinale repeatedly referenced Allegri by his first name, “Max,” throughout the conversation, singling him out as the only individual named in the discussion. This comes as Milan attempt to secure Champions League qualification, with a potential €60 million windfall from UEFA contingent on achieving this goal.
Cardinale emphasized the importance of unity and support for Allegri until May 24th, suggesting internal disagreements should be set aside to focus on securing a top-four finish in Serie A. The interview notably omitted the names of other key figures at the club, including CEO Giorgio Furlani and sporting director Ibrahimovic, highlighting Allegri’s current importance to the ownership group. The club's recent dip in form, particularly over the last five matches, has been a source of concern for Cardinale, who acknowledged that performances have fallen below expectations.
Allegri is currently in his second spell as Milan manager, having previously led the club to Serie A titles in 2011 and 2012. He returned to the club in 2023, tasked with restoring Milan to its former glory after a period of relative underachievement. While Cardinale stated that Allegri and the team had done “an excellent job for almost the entire championship,” he also indicated that a failure to qualify for the Champions League would likely lead to a reassessment of the manager’s position.
However, even with Champions League qualification, Allegri’s future is not entirely secure, with Cardinale stating he will “re-evaluate everything and everyone.” The potential influence of Ibrahimovic, should he be granted increased power within the club structure, could also impact Allegri’s position. Cardinale’s comments suggest that while Allegri is currently seen as the least culpable for the team's recent struggles, his long-term future at Milan remains uncertain and dependent on both on-field results and internal dynamics.
