GdS: Amorim ‘changes the pieces’ – his plan to rotate vs. Ferencvaros in must-win game
AC Milan don’t have much time to enjoy their derby win over Inter, as a key European game awaits on Thursday night.
La Gazzetta dello Sport (seen below) begin a report this morning by writing that this week marks the beginning of a genuine push toward success in the Europa League. The momentum gained from the derby victory must be harnessed and used properly.
For a Milan side capable of dismantling Chivu’s team with three goals in 45 minutes, the Ferencváros game should pose no real concern. It must, however, be approached with focus and a significant yet carefully considered rotation of the squad.
The situation mirrors the league campaign in one key respect: the table. By winning on Saturday, Milan got back into the hunt for the Scudetto, so a similar result is needed in Europe. The Rossoneri currently sit on three points, while the Hungarians have a perfect record of nine.
Even with a win, Milan won’t catch their opponents, but they will improve their position in the table which is a necessity, especially with only four games left after this.
The table-toppers
Ferencvaros’ position in the standings is the result of a long, arduous journey. They began their Europa League campaign in the first qualifying round, eliminating Serbia’s Vojvodina.
In the second round, they knocked out the Dutch side Twente. They then triumphed over Poland’s Górnik Zabrze in the third round, before defeating Trabzonspor in the play-offs.
All that hard work has paid off in the league phase, where they have secured three wins out of three – against Celtic, Plzeň and Torreense – making them one of only five teams with a perfect record. The others are Benfica, Leverkusen, Bournemouth and Olympiacos.
Two of these four have already faced the Rossoneri, which speaks to the challenging nature of Milan’s schedule. Against the Portuguese side, Amorim faltered in his debut, fielding a side packed with reserves in a high-profile match.
Against Bournemouth, the result was compromised by two penalties and Mike Maignan’s red card. In between, there was a resounding victory in Salzburg, spearheaded by Alphadjo Cissé. This explains why they currently sit on just three points, a situation that now demands a turnaround.
The upcoming schedule is relatively more manageable, featuring an away trip to Athens, a home match against Sunderland, a visit to Sofia to face Levski, and a game against Ararat Armenia in Milan.
Securing a spot in the round of 16 is a task that needs to be completed, and preferably soon. Sitting on three points in 24th place, Milan’s current standing in the Europa League does not reflect the goal the club have set for themselves: to go all the way in the competition.
Careful rotation
Cisse will return to the starting line-up for the competition in which he is the team’s top scorer: three goals, all netted on the same night in Austria. The squad will once again be adjusted to accommodate the turnover and rotations necessary for managing resources.
This time, the team are better prepared to absorb these changes after welcoming back some players before the derby. Consequently, there will be further rotation on Thursday night, with the aim of keeping everyone fresh.
A change is unavoidable in goal, where the suspension for the captain Maignan will see Lorenzo Torriani make his first start. In defence, Sankhoun Diawara could play centrally, while Pervis Estupinan or Davide Bartesaghi (or both, with the latter pushed further forward) could feature on the left.
In midfield, Ardon Jashari will take on a Modrić-like role, while the versatile Filippo Terracciano could slot in as a mezzala (or even at right-back, covering for Mario Gila). There is also a chance of seeing the very young Christian Comotto in action.
In attack, Omari Hutchinson is a certain starter:he looked lively during his time on the pitch against Bologna and performed even better against Udinese, a match in which he scored his first goal for Milan. Cisse could lead the line, but Francesco Camarda and Goncalo Ramos remain candidates too.
