In a recent conversation with La Gazzetta dello Sport, midfielder Adrien Rabiot, aged 30, spoke openly about his connection with Massimiliano Allegri, his former coach at Juventus who has now taken the helm at AC Milan.
Rabiot spent three of his five seasons in Turin under Allegri`s guidance. He revealed that they continue to maintain regular contact. Recounting an anecdote, Rabiot mentioned, “I actually speak to Allegri often. Giovanni Rossi, Roberto De Zerbi’s advisor, also works with him, and when he calls him, he tells me: ‘Come and I’ll put you through to your dad.’”
The French international emphasized the depth of their bond, stating, “I can talk to Allegri about everything and not just football. I really appreciate him as a person. He has a winning mentality. And it’s clear, if he calls me, I’ll always be available to talk to him.”
Rabiot departed Juventus last summer upon the expiration of his contract. Following a period of uncertainty, he made the somewhat unexpected move to Marseille. In his debut season back in France, Rabiot was instrumental in helping Les Phocéens secure a second-place finish in Ligue 1, thereby earning a return to the Champions League.
Despite the warm words for Allegri, there appears to be little ground for speculation about Rabiot returning to Italy to rejoin his former mentor. As he clarified to La Gazzetta dello Sport, “Joining Marseille without the Champions League was not a given. Now that we have qualified, it would be important to be able to play it in that stadium and in that environment.” This suggests Rabiot is committed to experiencing Champions League football with Marseille next season.
