GdS: Amorim’s personal mission – why the Milan boss continues to defend Estupinan
Ruben Amorim was the one who told AC Milan not to sell Pervis Estupinan, and a report has attempted to discover his though process.
La Gazzetta dello Sport recall that on Sunday evening, after the victory against Atalanta, Amorim made his thoughts on the criticism of members of his squad clear: “Even at other clubs, sometimes the fans don’t like certain players too much.”
The reference is obviously to Estupinan, the player who has been the most divisive since the start of the season, thanks to his inconsistent performances. To put it mildly. Against Atalanta, he came on in the final quarter of an hour and did not help the need for game management.
The Portuguese’s response was prompt to a question about why he keeps using him: “At the end of the transfer window, we had a list of clubs that wanted him. But I said no. So I want the fans to know that it was my responsibility.”
Why Amorim likes Estupinan
Which clubs were interested in the Ecuadorian in the summer? The closest they came to signing him were Aston Villa, who were looking for a replacement after the departure of Lucas Digne. Unai Emery was pushing to bring him to Birmingham, given he worked with him during his time at Villarreal.
The deal seemed well underway, with an offer of around €18-20 million on the table, but in the end it all fell through. The reason? Amorim put up a stop sign and the Villains turned to Matteo Ruggeri of Atletico Madrid.
In general, the most concrete interest came from England, where Estupinan had shown very positive times during his first season or two at Brighton. These signs have not been seen at Milan, or at least not often enough.
In the league, Estupinan has started five of seven games under Amorim, but he almost never gave the impression of being an added value on the flank. Instead, he made individual errors and was often tactically disorganised. It was almost as if he were playing with the handbrake on.
Last year, Massimiliano Allegri preferred Davide Bartesaghi, who was able to exploit the Ecuadorian’s hesitations to carve out space and shine. This year, however, Amorim continues to rely on Pervis, while also starting to use Diego Moreira in that role.
At this point, one wonders whether Amorim has seen something that others are missing. Or, is this is simply one of those cases where the coach decides to go all the way with his own convictions, even at the cost of testing the patience of a less-than-enthusiastic fanbase?
A man on a mission
Amorim wants to prove the doubters wrong. After the match against Atalanta, he declared: “We have to help him. We have to help the fans understand who Estupinan is.” A misunderstood talent? A diamond in the rough? Or simply a player who, for now, hasn’t quite found his feet at Milan?
The pitch, as always, will have the final say. Also because at a certain point, more than explaining a player, you have to be able to make him play well and to do so consistently.
Amorim has certainly shown he knows how to work on individuals, though. Just look at Alphadjo Cisse, this year’s surprise package, as well as the exponential growth of Koni De Winter and Yunus Musah. Moreira is gradually emerging, while Adrien Rabiot has become even more indispensable.
In short, these first two months of the season have seen some positive developments. Estupinan, for now, remains a unique case. In the two Europa League matches in which Milan gave space to the second string, he was rested: a sign that Amorim wants to preserve him above all for the league.
It is faith that, at least for now, hasn’t been repaid on the pitch. Amorim will therefore have an additional task, beyond that of leading Milan back into the Champions League: convincing everyone that Estupinan is a player capable of making a concrete contribution to the team.
Between the two missions, one wonders which is the more complicated. The Champions League is a difficult objective, of course. Convincing the Milan fans that the former Brighton player is truly the right man on the wing, after what we’ve seen so far, risks becoming a real challenge.
