But that was pretty much it in terms of highlights from Füllkrug’s time at Milan. Manager Allegri gave him only limited playing time, and Füllkrug failed to earn himself more. A low point came in the 2-1 hard-fought win against newly promoted Pisa in February. Füllkrug missed a penalty and received the ultimate punishment from his manager: having come on as a substitute, he was taken off again after just 45 minutes.
In recent weeks, Füllkrug has continued to see little playing time. Instead, Allegri – who has long been rumoured in Italy to harbour a certain aversion to traditional centre-forwards – has repeatedly opted for a two-man strike force comprising the natural wingers Rafael Leao and Christian Pulisic, though neither has exactly covered themselves in glory. Leao’s role in the centre, in particular, is the subject of heated debate in Italy and is regularly criticised by experts. Former Milan captain Massimo Abrosini, for example, described the Portuguese player in that position as “a waste”.
Niclas Füllkrug’s performance statistics at Milan:
Appearances 14
Appearances over 90 minutes 0
Minutes played 429
Goals 1
Assists 0
Generally speaking, despite the decent points haul and the chance of a first league title since 2022, Milan’s style of play is not for the connoisseur. Allegri’s 3-5-2 formation is designed for stability; flair and attacking prowess come second. Alongside Füllkrug, other attacking players such as the aforementioned Nkunku are also suffering as a result. Fans and experts are wondering whether a 4-3-3 might not promise better football. Allegri has switched to this system on several occasions this season when the run of play demanded it, and this approach has been rewarded on multiple occasions. Take, for example, Füllkrug’s winning goal against Lecce.
A 4-3-3 formation would also likely better showcase Füllkrug’s abilities as a header of the ball and a game-changer in the centre. However, it is unlikely that Allegri will deviate from his fundamental philosophy.
The coach has not publicly criticised Füllkrug so far, but ironically remarked a few days ago that his protégé needs “consistency”, because “without it, it’s difficult”.