The 44-year-old led the Rossoneri to the title last season but his position is now under scrutiny with his side having slipped behind the Bianconeri in the Scudetto race

By Mark Doyle AC Milan coach Massimiliano Allegri was unsurprisingly in a bullish frame of mind after Saturday’s shock Serie A defeat at home to Fiorentina . "I absolutely don't feel that my job is at risk," he declared. The defiance was impressive but Allegri was fooling nobody.

Granted, it may seem more than a little unfair and arguably even a tad ridiculous that the 44-year-old coach is currently having to field questions about his position. We are, after all, talking about a man who led Milan to the title last summer - their first since 2004 - in what was his debut season at San Siro. Then there is the fact that even after the loss to the Viola, the Rossoneri are just a point behind Juventus with seven rounds still to play.



However, that Allegri is now under scrutiny is hardly surprising. Milan owner Silvio Berlusconi's thirst for titles is matched only by his fondness for females and the former Italian Prime Minister's official return to the club last month in the role of 'Honorary President' was always going to increase the pressure on Allegri to deliver another major title in May.

PLAYING CATCH UP

AC Milan's title run-in Apr 10

Chievo (A) Apr 14

Genoa (H) Apr 22

Bologna (H)

Apr 29

Siena (A)

May 2 Atalanta (H) May 6

Inter (A) May13 Novara (H)

The Coppa Italia exit at the hands of Juventus was excused on the grounds that the Rossoneri's priorities lay elsewhere, but Saturday's loss to Fiorentina, coupled with last week's elimination from the Champions League in Barcelona, means that Allegri is now in a precarious position.

Indeed, speculation is rife that Berlusconi, who prides himself on European glory above all else, now has his doubts over whether Allegri is capable of delivering a Champions League title.



Of course, there should be no shame attached to being knocked out of the game’s most prestigious club cup competition by the Blaugrana, particularly in rather controversial circumstances, but it is now being reported that Berlusconi was not impressed by the Rossoneri's approach to the game at Camp Nou.



It is also worth remembering that Milan bowed out of last season’s tournament at the hands of a Tottenham Hotspur side making their debut in the Champions League.



In addition, while it would be going too far to hold Allegri solely accountable for the 3-1 aggregate defeat by Barca, it is undeniable that he did his side absolutely no favours at all by taking a horribly ill-advised gamble on the fitness of arguably the finest defender in the game today, Thiago Silva, in the run-up to the first leg.



The Brazilian defender had limped out of the Coppa Italia clash with Juventus the week before the visit of the Blaugrana, so why then was he risked in the Serie A showdown with Roma on the Saturday, especially when it was obvious to all and sundry during the warm-up for the game against the Giallorossi that the centre-half was still not 100 per cent?



Allegri has previous history in this regard, too, having rushed Alexandre Pato back for the league meeting with Juventus in February only to see the player break down again and hauled off after 45 minutes. Admittedly, Milan's medical team have hardly covered themselves in glory with their attempts at treating Pato's persistent thigh problems, but the buck stops with the coach when it comes to properly managing his squad.