Amorim: ‘Milan can win any game, or lose any game’
Milan coach Ruben Amorim wants his players to remain ‘consistent’ in a Europa League game against Ferencvaros: ‘We can win any game and, at the same time, lose any game.’
Milan got a big confidence boost this past weekend, beating city rivals Inter 3-1 in Serie A. Tomorrow, they return to San Siro to face Ferencvaros in Europa League Round 4.
Amorim’s press conference ahead of Milan vs. Ferencvaros
“That is the goal. We need to forget about Inter; there’s a new competition,” Amorim said at a press conference on Wednesday.
“This is the Europa League. For us, it’s a very important game. More than the result, we need to maintain that consistency. We were consistent during the game. It’s a big step we need to have. Doesn’t matter rotations, players on the pitch. We need to be a very good team and win tomorrow, and our goal is to go all the way in this competition.
“The most important game is this one, but we also need to acknowledge that we must be careful with some players. We have a big schedule behind us, and we can’t lose many players in the next games,” he continued.
“This is the most important game, but we’ll need to rotate, all players are ready. It is our responsibility to win the game. We’ll face a big opponent that has nine points in this competition. They haven’t lost any games in their league, but we have the responsibility to win.”
Milan sit fifth in Serie A, but have only lost once domestically. Results in the Europa League have been much different as the Rossoneri have only grabbed three points in three matches, winning once and losing twice.
“I think sometimes it’s hard to explain. There can be rotations and sometimes we need to change the way we play. Against Benfica, we didn’t play our game, but had more possession,” Amorim said.
“We had some issues, then we had a very good game in Salzburg, and then in Bournemouth, where there was a send-off and two penalties. Our fault, with the Mike situation, which didn’t help us to fight for the game. We are not doing really well in Serie A. We won the last one, but I think we should have more points. I’m not satisfied in the Europa League; I’m not satisfied in Serie A, but sometimes it goes like that. Every game has its history. We had some issues in the Europa League, but I think we can change that tomorrow and win.
“We can lose any game; we can win any game. This is the characteristic of this team. It depends on how we face the game. It doesn’t matter if it’s Serie A, Serie B, or Europa League. We can win any game and, at the same time, lose any game. Especially now that everyone knows everyone, the players have technical abilities, and coaches have the tools and footage to prepare for the games.”
The Portuguese coach went on to praise his next opponents.
“It’s a team that is accustomed to winning. It doesn’t matter; it gives you confidence in every game. They play with a 4-2-3-1; they have good rotations in the team and you can sense the identity in the team,” he said.
“They have a midfielder, Nagy, who is very good at building up; they build up with three players. They have an identity; they know how to play. They come to San Siro with nothing to lose. They want to win, but the responsibility in San Siro is ours.’ We need to play really well and be really focused. I told the players, against Inter we were good because we were humble and really good on the details; we need to have the same behaviour against Ferencváros. That is the most important thing with this team.
Sankhoun Diawara started as a left-back in the last few games and was particularly impressive against Inter.
“I think we need to give credit to Diawara. He’s working really well. He spent some time without playing,” Amorim said.
“He was getting frustrated, but he continued to work at the right moment. You’ll be ready for the opportunity if you work well. He can play that position; of course, it depends on the opponent. Sometimes we play with Moreira, other times with Diawara. I think he has some minutes in the second division in France in that position. During the break, we played Diawara as a left-back; he gave good signs. He’s strong; he’s fast. He has the potential to grow. Maybe he’ll start tomorrow.”
A reporter asked why the Milan performance wasn’t consistent against Inter, as the Rossoneri were much more intense in the first half than after the break.
“You can’t separate them. It’s important to understand that in the first half we took advantage in the result and then we controlled the game in the second half,” Amorim replied.
Milan owner Gerry Cardinale struggled to fight back tears after Saturday’s derby win; when will the fans see an emotional Amorim?
“When we win the Scudetto or a big title, maybe I’ll be emotional,” he concluded.
“Until then, it’s just another day. I didn’t expect that feeling, and I think Mr. Cardinale also didn’t expect it. He had a big interview, supporting the manager, when everyone was talking about the manager who was not winning every game. What I know is that the feeling in the stadium was special, and he enjoyed that moment. He got emotional because he has passion. He’s American; when you spend some time here, you become a bit Italian or Portuguese. This is more than a game. I understand that. I won’t be emotional until we win [a title]. And when we win the Scudetto, I’ll think about the next one. I think you won’t see me so emotional.”
