MN: Hostile welcome, Amorim’s avoidance, De Rossi’s praise – behind the scenes of the win in Genoa

By: Oliver Fisher

Some of the unseen details from AC Milan’s win away against Genoa have emerged, ranging from hostility to strong praise.

Goals from Alphadjo Cisse and Christian Pulisic inside the opening 20 minutes would be enough for Milan, who were nonetheless left clinging on in the final stages after Ellertsson’s goal. MilanNews have revealed some of the behind-the-scenes moments from the Marassi.

The day in Genoa wasn’t exactly a walk in the park. First and foremost, there was the rather hostile atmosphere created by the Genoa fans towards the Rossoneri. This forced the relevant authorities to ban all residents of Lombardy from attending.

Milan fan groups weren’t even allowed to go to the Aquarium in Genoa’s Porto Antico. It is a shame for so many reasons, and one that reflects the complicated state under which Italian football still operates.

However, there were still Milanisti there to support the team and they made their voices heard. At the end of the match, both Goncalo Ramos and Diego Moreira gave their shirts to young fans in the away sector.

The game could have been a totally different story had it not been for Davide Massa’s controversial decision. At start of the second half, Adrien Rabiot stole the ball, was racing alone toward the penalty area with Cisse to his left, and was fouled by Marcandalli.

Despite the fact it was a clear last-man challenge, he was not sent off. When asked Amorim about yesterday’s specific incident and the refereeing method in general in the press conference, the Portuguese coach responded with a laugh, a smile and a grimace.

It was as if to say: “I’d like to say something, but it’s better if I don’t.” His public response went along this path: “I won’t comment on it, you have the match, because I know that talking about referees isn’t something that could help my team. I just want to help my team, so I won’t say anything about the referees.”

Speaking of press conferences, Daniele De Rossi’s thoughts on Amorim and Modric were very interesting: “I shouldn’t judge Amorim. He’s younger than me, but he has a lot more experience than me. I learn from him. We study him, we watch him. He plays with a system that I really like.

“He puts a lot of quality on the wings, something I’ve also tried to do here. Certainly not Moreira, but with the right proportions and possibilities. I like the way he communicates; he doesn’t blame his players even when he loses, he’s always honest when he loses. He’s doing a great job.

“For anyone who loves this sport, it’s exciting to see Modric play football like this at 41. Last year I had him man-marked, this year he played with two. He has more playing time. Maybe he plays a little slower, but the idea is there.

“We clashed a couple of times and I told him, ‘I don’t play anymore so I can’t beat you up.’ But he’s great, really great. He’s like Rabiot: world-class players. Really beautiful.”