AMORIM: "WINNING TO KEEP BUILDING"

Following their draw in Turin, the Rossoneri are preparing for their third away fixture in the opening four rounds of Serie A. Their next opponents are Gennaro Gattuso’s Lazio, who have won all three of their league matches so far. It promises to be a demanding but fascinating encounter, which Rúben Amorim has previewed at his press conference, live on YouTube, the AC Milan Official App and Milan TV.

TOWARDS THE OLIMPICO
"Lazio is an intense team. They are aggressive and have a clear identity. They play with a back four and three midfielders, with Frattesi in great form and capable of making an impact in the final third. They will be feeling confident after the three wins they picked up since their defeat in the Coppa Italia, but we are ready to face them. Gattuso is a legend of this Club and he represents an example of how talent isn't everything. He is a symbol and a reminder that with passion and hard work, you can overcome difficult moments."

AFTER JUVENTUS
"We have discussed in recent days and focused on the mistakes we made in Turin. I think we lacked energy. In the first half we controlled the ball but we were lacking something in the final third. I showed my players how many of the opponent's chances came from our mistakes in passing and in building out from the back. I think it's difficult to pin anything on an individual player. Against Juventus, we were lacking in certain areas as a team, giving the ball away too often without being under pressure. When Gonçalo had playable balls, there weren't many good options, but we need to improve as a team. Things went well against Torino and Venezia because everyone was involved. We know what we need to do, everyone needs to improve."

LUKA MODRIĆ
"Sometimes he can't press in every situation, but he knows how to control the tempo of the game. Right now, he reads the game better than anyone else. With him, we lose a little in terms of pressing, but when we have the ball, we’re able to control the game. Sometimes you give something up in one area, but you gain something in another. Luka has a big impact when he has the ball at his feet, and I want the team to be in control of possession." 

THE IMPORTANCE OF DAILY WORK
"I think we need to be able to improve in every training session. I know the team has already identified some areas from the game against Juventus that we need to improve on. I don’t want the players to forget the responsibility that comes with wearing this jersey: we have to win, and we’re at a point where we’re building something. The focus is on winning at the Olimpico, and only that. Building a winning project takes time, and time is precious. To buy ourselves more time, we need to win on Saturday. The criticism is normal. I remember everything I’ve said: we want to be proactive and score goals, but there are situations where you have to adapt. There are games where the opponent plays better, but that doesn’t change our intentions. I understand the pressure. The only thing I’ve promised is that the team will always come first. The intention is to control games and play better than the opponent. In Turin, Spalletti did a better job than I did, but that doesn’t change our intention to put AC Milan at the center of everything. We don’t want to do anything by chance; sometimes we’re too rigid. We have to be perfect to win every game. I told the team that in our first training session of the week.

CHRISTIAN PULISIC
"We have a complete squad, with an extra option in every position, which gives us choices. I think Pulisic will get some minutes. I like him as a player, he’s training well, he’s in good shape and he’s ready. We shouldn’t forget that he’s coming back from an injury and had a setback in his first training session. I’m not going to leave out someone who is doing well just to bring someone else in. Chris is a very important player for us. We have two months ahead with three games every week, so everyone will get their opportunities and minutes. You have to look at the bigger picture to understand the reasons behind the decisions."

INDIVIDUAL PLAYERS AND SELECTIONS
"I don’t want to reveal who is going to start. Pulisic is training well, Cisse and Saelemaekers are doing well, and Hutchinson is getting fitter. The substitutes have made a very good impact in the first three games, and we’ll put a strong team out. Cisse with the national team? If you put him on the pitch, you know he’ll play his game, but he needs time to develop. He’s not a shy player; he will always look to make something happen, but he needs time to fully express his potential. Rabiot and Jashari can play in the same position as Musah and have similar movements. Ardon can play more as a No. 8, and then there’s also Comotto, who is young but has been training very well every day. We can also use Loftus-Cheek if we want something different at certain moments. We have several players who can play as attacking midfielders, most of them left-footed. Rabiot is more of a box-to-box player who can play between the lines, but he is very dangerous around the box and knows how to score. Loftus-Cheek is right-footed but can play that role as well; he needs to perform for the full 90 minutes. Hutchinson has some great qualities. We’re trying to find the best possible balance between rotations and putting players in their best positions. We need to discover the best combinations. If our players understand our philosophy, we can choose different players. Everyone has to be ready to play, and the rotations shouldn’t change the dynamics or style of play."

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