Milan’s head coach, Massimiliano Allegri, praised his team’s spirit after the tough 2-1 victory over Napoli despite playing with ten men, emphasizing that Croatian star Luka Modrić adds great value to the team thanks to his intelligence in regaining possession and intercepting passes.

Milan started the match strongly by scoring two goals within just 31 minutes, with Christian Pulisic assisting Alexis Saelemaekers for the first goal and scoring the second himself. However, the game changed after Pervis Estupiñán was sent off for fouling Giovanni Di Lorenzo, allowing Kevin De Bruyne to reduce the deficit from a penalty kick. David Neres nearly equalized in stoppage time but his shot hit the post.

Allegri said in statements to “DAZN Italy”: “I am happy because this was an important and tough match against a strong Napoli team. We played a great first half, but in the second half, we played with ten men and had to defend, which can force you to give your opponent chances to score, but the players performed well.”

He added: “This is just the beginning, we must enjoy the win tonight and then focus on the next match before the international break.”

Allegri confirmed his team took a step forward with this fifth consecutive win across the league and the Italian Cup, noting that “the fighting spirit makes winning easier when you know how to suffer under pressure.”

He also spoke about the return of Rafael Leão from injury and Niakhaté nearing full fitness, explaining that multiple attacking options and tactical flexibility depending on the players give the team greater tactical adaptability.

Regarding 40-year-old Luka Modrić, Allegri said: “His presence in front of the defense gives us quality and intelligence in closing passing lanes. He recovers the ball through reading and positioning more than physical challenges, which makes him exceptionally valuable.”

With this win, Milan topped the Serie A standings jointly with Napoli and Roma with 12 points, despite a shaky start losing to Cremonese, and will face Juventus next week in a match with a special flavor for the coach who previously managed both clubs.