Milan trails Inter by 10 points: The current goal is to secure a Champions League spot

GameGladiator

26/02/2026 17:00:37 GameGladiator

Following the 0-1 loss to Parma on Sunday evening, Milan is now 10 points behind Inter after 26 matches. The hope for the Scudetto has disappeared entirely, and the Rossoneri’s priority is to target a Top 4 position.

Parma truly is Milan’s "nemesis from the past." This is the team that ended Milan’s record 58-match unbeaten streak in Serie A during their golden era with a 1-0 victory at San Siro in 1993. Thirty-three years later, Parma once again broke Milan’s 24-match unbeaten run with a 1-0 win at San Siro.

Refocusing on the Top 4 goal

A few days ago, coach Max Allegri calculated that Milan needed to win 12 of their last 13 games to catch Inter and claim the title, but with the loss to Parma, they now must win all 12 remaining matches, an impossible task.

Just days ago, Milan fans were hopeful that Inter’s weakening—due to captain and striker Lautaro Martinez being sidelined for about a month, missing the derby against Milan on March 8—would give Allegri’s team an advantage. However, before Inter could weaken, Milan stumbled themselves. The situation worsened as key defender Matteo Gabbia got injured during warm-up, and Ruben Loftus-Cheek faces a likely season-ending serious facial injury. Throughout the season, Inter has proven strong even without stars, while Milan struggles whenever key players are absent.

This season, squad depth has been the key factor making Inter superior to others. Teams like Milan, Napoli, Juventus, Roma, Atalanta, and Lazio have all struggled with injuries, especially in attack. But discussing Inter’s situation now is unnecessary. The Scudetto is no longer a realistic target for the Rossoneri, even if they win the upcoming derby, as they have not shown the qualities of a championship team, appearing very ordinary against smaller opponents. Instead of looking ahead to see Inter pulling away, Milan’s task now is to look behind and fight to maintain a Top 4 position.

Allegri has long emphasized that Milan is not thinking about the Scudetto. Returning to the Champions League is the top priority, and in this mission, they are still performing well. With 54 points after 26 matches, Milan leads fifth-placed Juventus by 8 points and Como and Atalanta by 9 points—margins considered safe unless they sabotage themselves. A 4-point lead over Napoli and Roma also provides a decent cushion to aim for the runner-up spot.

Milan no longer has a chance to win Serie A after falling 10 points behind Inter

Beware of losing everything

But the reality may not be entirely positive, as Milan has never inspired strong confidence. If they had chances to compete for the Scudetto but repeatedly undermined themselves at critical moments, a similar fate could occur in the Top 4 race. The defeat to Parma also ended Milan’s 19-match scoring streak in Serie A, a notable concern. This is the inevitable outcome of a series of unconvincing performances with very late goals, especially at home. Milan has won only 2 of their last 6 home games, a steep decline compared to 5 wins, 1 draw, and 1 loss in the previous 7 matches at San Siro.

Now, Milan’s problem isn’t that they perform poorly against weaker teams, but how they choose to face such opponents. Allegri’s rigid pragmatic approach has prevented Milan from surprising opponents who come prepared with counter-strategies. Teams like Cremonese, Pisa, Sassuolo, Genoa, Fiorentina, and Parma have all employed deep defensive tactics, waiting for Milan to make mistakes, and have achieved varying success. Milan has played many matches like this, yet Allegri has not adapted. Of the remaining 12 games, 7 are likely to follow a similar pattern.

An 8-point lead may seem safe, but caution is needed. Juventus may be declining, but Como and Atalanta (who have earned 23 points in their last 10 matches) are not. If Milan continues to perform inconsistently as they have since early 2026, the worst-case scenario could easily unfold.

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