Milan not Inter: Amorim responds sarcastically to a question about Chivu

Ruben Amorim, the manager of Milan, has confirmed that the atmosphere of the Milan derby carries a special character that brings him emotionally closer to Portuguese football culture than anything he experienced in England with Manchester United.

Milan are preparing to face their traditional rivals Inter in tomorrow's showpiece, the "Derby della Madonnina", scheduled for Saturday. The Nerazzurri top the table with 25 points, ahead of second-placed Lazio on goal difference. The Rossoneri sit fifth with 18.

Amorim opened by expressing his happiness with the trust owner Gerry Cardinale has placed in him, telling "Football Italia": "I really appreciate Cardinale's support. We knew beforehand that we could not build strong foundations with such problems throughout the season. It will take some time, but at the same time we want to win every match, and when we do not win we feel great pain. We need time to build the team, and we know that good things require time to reach a stage of stability, but that does not cancel out the pain of defeat, which is still present."

Asked what sets the Milan derby apart from other leagues, the Portuguese coach pointed to the fixture's cultural weight: "I think it is an exceptional match because it is played in the same city, and yesterday we saw the plans for the new stadium. It is a unique competition, but it also carries a deep bond, two great teams in the same city sharing one stadium."

He added: "I do not think you could find a context like this anywhere else. It is a truly special thing. But if we look at Portuguese culture, the feeling is exactly the same, the sense of responsibility to win, and the passion of the fans is very similar. The football culture here is much closer to that found in Portugal. In England, it is a little different. There is great competition, but the spirit remains more sporting. Here you feel that Latin element which we also experience in Portugal, so I really think it will be a special match."

A warning to his players followed: "Everyone knows it is a special match and a special moment, and when you play it, the context does not matter, nor does it matter whether you feel exhausted. You have to go out onto the pitch and give everything you have, and we will be there."

Cardinale has insisted Milan can win the Serie A title this season, yet Amorim preferred to keep the focus on the smaller steps. "You must always talk about the Scudetto as the main objective when you are at Milan, but we have dropped too many points and we have to put things right. We must focus only on improving the team step by step," he explained.

He added: "What we got wrong in the last match must be corrected in the next match. If we start thinking far ahead about the table and long-term objectives, then we forget what really matters to us. We want to win continuously, year after year. We do not want to win for one season just because luck was on our side or because we cut corners in setting up the project, only to find ourselves the following year back at square one. That is why we must deal with things day by day."

One journalist asked him what he envied about Inter coach Cristian Chivu. Amorim's response was pointed: "I do not envy Chivu at all because I am already in the right place, which is Milan and not Inter. This is my nature, and this is my character."

The pair had met on the sidelines of the new stadium presentation, and Amorim recalled the encounter fondly: "He is very nice. We were complaining a little about the timing of the presentation ceremony because we played the night before. He won, so he was happier than me, but we had a match to prepare for and that was our priority."