Massimiliano Allegri's post-match accusation that Roma were handed Champions League qualification after the Napoli-Roma game has drawn an angry response from the Giallorossi, and Corriere della Sera reports that the figures from last season refute the claim. Allegri said: "They were handed the Champions League on a plate and I paid for it."
The analysis says Milan's failure to qualify for Europe was not caused by alleged refereeing favours for the capital side, but by the rossoneri's poor form at the decisive stage of the campaign. Five matchdays from the end of last season, Milan led Roma by eight points. A vertical collapse over their final ten games, with six defeats, three wins and one draw for an average of 1.0 points per match, cost them the target. In their last four home games at San Siro, Milan took just one point from a possible twelve.
A draw in the final round against already-safe Cagliari would have been enough for fourth place, but the home defeat allowed Como to overtake them at the death. The slump prompted Milan's ownership to sack Allegri at the end of the season. The data also undermine his defence: across his last 18 Serie A matches in charge across both spells, Allegri averaged 1.16 points per game, with just four wins and ten defeats in total.
For Roma, the row is a reminder of how closely the race for Champions League places was fought last season, when they finished third in Serie A and secured their place in this season's competition. The club's response shows it is unwilling to let the accusation pass without challenge.
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Roma coach Gian Piero Gasperini has hit back at Napoli boss Massimiliano Allegri, calling his remark an unfortunate one and saying "the numbers speak" for Roma in the Champions League, according to Repubblica – Roma. Repubblica reports that Roma qualified for this season's competition by finishing third in Serie A 2025-26, but Roma News says they finished fourth, so the outlets differ on the final position. Repubblica also notes that Paulo Dybala returns to the squad for the match against Cagliari.
The row followed Allegri's comments after Napoli's game against Roma at the Maradona. Forza Roma quotes him saying Roma "were handed the Champions League on a plate and I paid for it", while Roma News quotes him as saying "Last season they put the Champions League in their pocket." Forza Roma reports that Corriere della Sera's analysis of Milan's last season refutes the claim. It argues Milan missed Europe because they collapsed after leading Roma by eight points with five matchdays left, not because of refereeing favours. It also says Allegri averaged 1.16 points per game across his last 18 Serie A matches in charge.
Roma News reports that the club's management considers the remarks disrespectful and points to 19 points from the final seven matchdays, including six wins and a draw at Atalanta, with the Champions League place clinched on the penultimate matchday. Allegri was also angry about the refereeing, particularly Leonardo Balerdi's 3-3 equaliser, and Roma News says he was sent off after the final whistle. Sporting Judge Gerardo Mastrandrea is expected to rule on that dismissal today, 26 October 2026, and federal prosecutor Giuseppe Chinè could open an investigation into the remarks.
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Testo Originale / Source Text
“"Gli hanno messo la Champions in tasca e ho pagato io”. L’accusa rivolta da Massimiliano Allegri alla Roma nel post-partita di Napoli-Roma ha fatto irritare il club giallorosso. Ma la sparata del tecnico, come riporta il Corriere della Sera, trova anche una secca smentita nei numeri e nella…”
Read the full article in Italian at Forza Roma.
