AC Milan director denies Galliani talk

AC Milan director Barbara Berlusconi has brushed aside reports suggesting she requested the sacking of club administrator Adriano Galliani at the weekend.

Italian media reported that Berlusconi, a board member of AC Milan and the daughter of club owner Silvio Berlusconi, was considering letting Galliani go after the team's dismal campaign so far.

A 2-0 defeat to Fiorentina was Milan's fifth loss of the season and left the Rossoneri 11th in the standings with 12 points from 10 games.

"I have never asked for club administrator Adriano Galliani to be dismissed," Berlusconi told Gazzetta dello Sport.

"In the numerous phone conversations I've had with my father after the defeat to Fiorentina, I simply asked for a change of business philosophy at Milan."

Since lifting the Scudetto in 2011, Milan has gone through a generational change, selling its top stars, includingThiago Silva and Zlatan Ibrahimovic to Paris Saint-Germain, while letting many veterans like Andrea Pirlo andClarence Seedorf go.

Milan fans were left disenchanted with the club's signings in the past two seasons and the Milan faithful were left stunned when the Rossoneri sold Kevin-Prince Boateng to Schalke this northern summer, considering the club bought few noteworthy reinforcements.

Galliani then surprised many by luring back Kaka to the San Siro on the final day of the transfer market four years after selling the Brazil midfielder to Real Madrid.

Milan has not endured such a poor start to the campaign since the 1981-1982 season when the team was relegated to the second tier.

"This is the most difficult time in my three-and-a-half years at Milan," AC Milan coach Massimiliano Allegri admitted.

"We have to find a solution.

"I don't think it's a question of the transfer market. In football, it's results that count.

"We simply have to play better and prepare in the best possible way for our game at Barcelona.

"My future? At this time I have to find a solution to the problems and somehow I will do it.

"The club will have to take its decisions.

"The most important thing is to project calmness to my players."

Milan travels to the Nou Camp to face Barcelona on Wednesday evening (Thursday morning AEDT) looking to keep up its unbeaten run in the UEFA Champions League before taking on Serie A's bottom side Chievo in Verona this weekend.

Galliani has reassured Allegri that his job is safe, claiming he has confidence the coach can turn Milan's fortunes around.

"It's not a crucial week for our coach," Galliani told Gazzetta dello Sport. "It's certainly a difficult time because results are not going our way.

"Every coach depends on results and if one loses a lot of games, then there's no way a coach can keep his position.

"However, we have confidence in our coach. We look ahead hoping things will improve.

"There are good and bad times and sport is cyclical. Hence we hope to do better the remainder of the campaign.