AC Milan's season hit a new low Sunday with a 3-2 home defeat to Atalanta, leaving the seven-time European champions battling for a Champions League spot and heaping pressure on manager Massimiliano Allegri.
Milan dropped to fourth in Serie A behind Juventus, with AS Roma level on points complicating the race for the top four with two games left.
The club faces an identity crisis. After finishing eighth last season and missing European competition, they now risk a second year without Champions League football.
Warning signs have been visible for months. Milan have collected only 25 points in the second half of the season, the lowest total at this stage in eight years, turning a potential title challenge into a tense battle for fourth.
Though two stoppage-time goals narrowed the scoreline, the late rally did little to mask a listless offensive performance. Key players Christian Pulisic, Santiago Gimenez, and Rafael Leao have failed to deliver.
Allegri acknowledged responsibility: "When results are lacking, I am the first person responsible. These players have always given their all."
Sporting director Igli Tare admitted fan protests were justified, saying, "Seeing the recent games, the right attention has been lacking."
With Italian media reporting Allegri's future depends on Champions League qualification, Milan's final two games against Genoa and Cagliari are crucial.