Boban defends comments on Milan’s lack of ambition and explains dislike of Amorim’s system

Zvonimir Boban has doubled down on his previous criticism of AC Milan, insisting that what he said wasn’t that outlandish.

Speaking on stage at the Festival dello Sport in Trento – an event put together by La Gazzetta dello Sport that took place over the weekend – Boban took the opportunity to once again criticise RedBird Capital over a perceived lack of ambition.

He accused them of shifting the goalposts of what is considered success, from fighting for trophies as the club’s history demands to just simply finishing in the top four. He proclaimed that ‘nothing makes sense’ if the Rossoneri are not going for the biggest prizes.

Now, the former Milan director has been interviewed by Rai Radio 1 during the programme hosted by Filippo Corsini and Guido Ardone. He was asked about his comments, and for some more thoughts on the team, which MilanNews transcribed.

Are you satisfied with AC Milan or are they destined to have a season that won’t take them back to the Champions League?

“I didn’t understand what I said that was so special about Milan at the Trento Festival. I said that Milan should aspire to win, yet I read about ‘Boban’s poison’. I don’t understand how much the idea of ​​what Milan and its fans should be has changed: we can’t be mediocre.

“If we accept that the maximum ambition is to qualify for the Champions League every year, then I haven’t understood anything of what I was taught in Italy and what my father passed on to me by watching Rivera and hoping that one day as a footballer I could repeat what he did.

“For now, Milan is holding firm, even if the game doesn’t seem to promise great things. This 3-5-2 system, which becomes a 5-2-3 or a 3-4-3, ultimately turns into a five-man defence with players on the wings killing each other: it’s a bit illogical.

“If Amorim, with the good spirit he has brought, manages to go all the way in the Europa League despite a shallow squad, we’ll all be happy. I doubt it, as I doubt it. a large part of Italian football, which analyses the situation with more depth and quality, is doubtful.”

Is Amorim convincing you?

“It’s still early days. As I said, I don’t like playing with three at the back: the runs become long and tiring, the distances break up, and the connections become difficult to maintain for 90 minutes.

“Great skill is needed in the changes to maintain quality on the wing-backs, on the full-backs, and in midfield. The Lecce game went better than the matches in which Milan conceded a lot, but we’re only at the beginning of the process.

“Even if every match seems to bring years of discussion – given the world we live in, where there’s so much talk and reading – we need to give him time. He has to convince us all with results, and it’s normal that he needs consistency and time to work.”

Who will win the Scudetto?

“Besides Inter, I’m looking at Roma for what they’re showing now, hoping the others can keep up the pace to make the race exciting.”