Milan's Tension as Maignan and Rabiot Extend Holidays

Tension grows in Milan as Maignan and Rabiot delay return from holidays

With less than two weeks to go before the new Serie A season kicks off, Milan’s preparations under Ruben Amorim are already under strain – and not because of tactics or transfers, but due to two of the dressing room’s biggest figures still being on the beach.

Mike Maignan and Adrien Rabiot, central pillars of this Milan side and fresh from deep runs at the 2026 World Cup with France, have pushed back their return to club duty. The pair were originally scheduled to report back on August 14. They have now opted to extend their holidays until August 16 – exactly one week before Milan open their campaign against Torino.

For a new coach trying to stamp his ideas on a squad in flux, the timing could hardly be worse.

Amorim’s delicate start

Amorim walks into a club that needs clarity and momentum. He has neither yet. The squad is still incomplete, several first‑team players are on the market, and the Rafael Leao saga hangs over the summer like a storm cloud, with no guarantee the Portuguese forward will still be in red and black when the window closes.

Into that uncertainty comes the absence of his captain and one of his most experienced midfielders. Maignan, the Rossoneri’s on‑field leader, and Rabiot, who publicly pledged during the World Cup that he would return to Milan, meet Amorim and “go again” in 2026‑27, have both chosen to squeeze a little more rest out of their off-season.

On paper, a two‑day extension is not a scandal. In the current Milan climate, it feels like a spark near dry grass.

Fans look across the city – and bristle

The decision has not gone down well with a section of the Milan fanbase. The comparison point sits uncomfortably close: across the city, Inter players Lautaro Martinez and John Stones, also involved in the latter stages of the World Cup, are already back in full training under Cristian Chivu.

For supporters, it is an easy – and painful – contrast. Inter’s leaders are on the pitch. Milan’s are still on holiday.

The frustration is less about the calendar and more about the message. A new coach, a season that could redefine the club’s trajectory, and a team that still needs structure and hierarchy on the pitch. The two men best placed to provide that stability will only have a handful of sessions before Torino arrive.

Maignan’s uneasy silence

Rabiot’s situation, at least publicly, appears straightforward. He has spoken about returning, meeting Amorim, resetting, and attacking the new season. The delay irritates, but it does not shock.

Maignan is different. The goalkeeper has been sending signals that are harder to ignore. Recently, he removed all pictures and references to Milan from his social media profiles. In a hyper-connected era, that kind of digital erasure rarely happens by accident. It may not be a transfer request, but it does not speak of serenity.

Then came another detail that jarred with many: Maignan, the current Milan captain, did not attend the funeral of club legend Franco Baresi last week. For a fanbase that lives on its history and reveres its icons, the absence was noticed – and questioned.

None of this proves a definitive break between player and club. It does, however, feed the perception that Maignan is no longer fully at ease at San Siro.

A thin margin before Torino

From a purely sporting perspective, the situation is stark. Milan start their Serie A season against Torino in a matter of days. Amorim must impose a new structure, possibly adapt to late outgoing and incoming transfers, and build automatisms with a group that has not been together for long.

The goalkeeper is the base of his build‑up. Rabiot is expected to be one of the brains of his midfield. Both will step back into training with just a week to tune into a new tactical language and reconnect with teammates who have already been working under Amorim’s demands.

It is a narrow runway for two players expected to set the standard.

The frustration in Milan circles is not only about holidays or dates on a calendar. It is about symbolism, leadership, and the fragile early days of a new project. As the clock ticks down to Torino, the question lingers: will Maignan and Rabiot’s late return be a mere footnote to a successful reset, or the first sign that this season’s foundations are already shaking?