AC Milan will travel to face Juventus in Serie A Matchday 3 at 02:45 on September 7 Beijing time (CEST). Coach Amorim attended the pre-match press conference, and this article is the fourth part of that press conference.

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Federico Masini (Tuttosport): Good afternoon, coach. I'd like to bring the focus back to tomorrow's match against Juventus. This is the first time this season you'll face an opponent with a different defensive system and formation, after consecutively playing against two teams that use a three-defender system. What are your expectations for tomorrow's match? In your view, what kind of coach is Luciano Spalletti, and how do you evaluate him? Also, a quick statistic: in your career, both as a player and as a coach, you've never beaten Juventus, correct? What would you like to say about that?

When facing a defense with three or four defenders on the pitch, you certainly need to make appropriate adjustments in tactical detail. There will be some changes in both how we press when we don't have the ball and how we organize our attack when we do have possession.

However, if you look more closely, Luciano Spalletti often tends to build his own defense with five defenders when facing opponents using a five-at-the-back formation. In this system, the fifth defender is sometimes Andrea Cambiaso — today I'm not sure if he'll be able to play tomorrow; sometimes he also uses Weston McKennie — similarly, I'm not sure if he'll be available.

So, while I can't be 100% certain about Juventus's specific defensive formation tomorrow, whether it's four or five at the back, there are certainly some tactical adjustments we need to make. Fortunately, we've trained extensively to adapt and switch between these different tactical scenarios during our pre-season training and friendly matches.

Regarding Luciano Spalletti, he's a renowned coach who needs no introduction. He's a talented and very intelligent coach with a very deep understanding of this league, and his tactical coaching and organization are excellent. I personally appreciate his tactical style and how his team plays. I fully understand how he tries to interpret the details and intent of the game on the pitch. Without doubt, this will be a very difficult match, but at the same time, we're still at the beginning of a new season. We clearly know that we're ready, and we also know that Juventus will give everything to challenge us strongly at home. It will certainly be a very interesting and high-quality match.

As for the claim that I've never beaten Juventus in my career, that's actually not entirely accurate. When I played for Benfica in Portugal, we beat and eliminated Juventus in the Europa League semi-final. So from that perspective, my personal head-to-head record is balanced. Of course, as a coach, tomorrow may indeed be my first opportunity to beat Juventus in my coaching career. But what I want to say is that every match has its own unique context and scenario; this is a completely new history, and I'm truly ready for this new challenge.

Translator's note: Amorim managed Sporting CP against Juventus in the 2022/23 Europa League quarter-final, losing 0-1 away in the first leg and drawing 1-1 at home in the second leg. During his playing career, he only played in a 0-0 away draw against Juventus in the second leg of the 2013/14 Europa League semi-final while at Benfica; Benfica won the first leg 2-1 at home, but he did not play as a substitute.

Francesco Letizia (Sportitalia): Good afternoon, coach. In other sports like basketball or American football, coaches often don't field all their strongest players in the starting lineup, but rather choose those who are "the best fit" for the start, because this allows them to preserve strength on the bench for certain tactical situations and scenarios later. Was your starting lineup selection for the first two Serie A matches this season also based on this philosophy? Do you want to keep some "tactical weapons" on the bench that can change the game at any time? Or is it purely because the players' legs are still heavy, so you're rotating based on their physical condition? Do you prefer to field all your strongest key players immediately, or do you prefer to keep enough room on the bench for your backup options?

At the start of the season, squad selection can be very particular because we need to be very careful to assess the actual physical fitness and competitive condition of players returning to the team late. At the same time, we also need to consider how to finish matches safely, which is also a very important dimension.

But for me personally, the most fundamental and decisive consideration is always the players' performance in training during the week. You absolutely cannot assume that "because I played well in the last match, I'm guaranteed a starting spot in the next one." If you don't perform well or don't have the right attitude in daily training during the week, I will change my mind at any time and remove you from the starting lineup. The reason I'm so strict about this is because I know that maintaining high intensity and training quality is crucial for the team's long-term development.

If I have to state my core principle, it is: I will only put you in the starting lineup if you prove you deserve it with your actual performance in training during the week. On that basis, we will further combine the specific tactical approach for the match and the technical characteristics of the players needed. Of course, I will definitely field the starting XI for each specific match that I believe is currently the strongest and most appropriate, but I also need and greatly value keeping some "tactical weapons" on the bench that can come in at any time to break deadlocks and change the situation. I think we're doing very well in this regard right now.

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