In the 5th round of Serie A, Milan defeated Lecce 3-0 at home. After the match, head coach Amorim gave an interview to DAZN.

On the Match

Yes, I think we improved significantly. In my view, this was particularly evident in the freedom our players had on the pitch, in our overall tactical setup, and especially in our runs in behind the opposition defense. We are not just a possession-oriented team; we are a very dangerous and threatening one. When we have space for those runs, I think that is excellent. We controlled the game and knew that the opponent was always waiting for our mistake, but we managed it quite well. We defended well, and it was a very satisfying victory.

Well, coach, on that note: having faced recent fan dissatisfaction and the team's first defeat, the best response is not simply to win, but to truly demonstrate runs in behind the defense, smooth play, flexible attacking midfielder positioning, and the "4+1" build-up system from deep. So this is not just a huge improvement in the result, but a true implementation of the tactical philosophy you hope to demonstrate on the pitch, I believe? I should also note that the last Milan coach to earn 11 points in the first five Serie A matches was Liedholm in 1963. So, overall...

That is interesting historical context, but times have changed, and this is a new era. We still have much to do, but we are genuinely playing better and constantly improving. More importantly, we are continuously learning and developing. So, in the previous few matches, we faced difficulties because our tactical structure was too rigid in each position; today, the players have been given more tactical freedom, and with that greater freedom, they have also shown better performances.

Good evening, coach Amorim. The league is about to go into the international break. Could you give us an interim review and summarize the team's performance in the first five rounds of the league and Europa League matches, your current work, and your squad? Also, at this moment in the standings, how big is the gap, if there is one, between Milan and top teams like Inter, Roma, and Lazio?

I think if you look at how we are playing now and the opponents we face—whether at home or away—these top teams clearly have had more time to develop chemistry and cohesion. You can see their tactical schemes and patterns of play are already established; they appear more defined and clear compared to our team.

However, we have not dropped too many points. We lost only 2 points to Lazio and points away to Juventus. So it is not as bad as it might seem at first glance, though recent results might suggest otherwise. We need to look at the current situation rationally and in a balanced way.

Today we won, but we must be clear-eyed that, while we beat a strong team in good form performing well, each team has its own style, and in certain matches we will still face difficulties. So this is a gradual process.

I believe we should have earned more points, because if you analyze the specific flow of the Juventus match, we were just 30 seconds away from taking another two points. And against other opponents, if you weigh the first and second halves and the attacking and defensive aspects of the entire match, I think we fully deserved better results.

Good evening, coach. I have a question for you because my media colleagues and I were just discussing this privately: regarding Luka Modrić, have you ever spoken with him personally? Can we expect that in the future he will play only in certain types of matches and rest in games where opponents are more aggressive and can cause more problems? We are very curious whether you had a frank conversation earlier, especially since tonight he was again instrumental in shifting the game's momentum and determining the outcome through his outstanding play.

He is a player who needs us to control the ball for long periods to perform at his best, but he is ready to play in any match where we need him. Physical intensity is not the decisive factor. In some games, if we turn play into constant back-and-forth transitions, as in the first half against Lazio, that is not the best game for Luka, nor is it the best game for Rade Krunić.

So we simply need to play in a way that allows our technical strengths to shine through. I believe that when we face matches against low blocks, we can make good use of Luka Modrić; for other types of matches, we will make decisions based on the specific situation, but I think he is ready for any kind of match.

Good evening, coach. It is commonly said that you have always been a coach with a clear tactical identity and extremely precise structural positioning. However, tonight you have repeatedly spoken about "freedom." Why are you introducing this tactical freedom now? Is it because you noticed that in recent matches opponents could easily read your tactics and press effectively, or did you have deep discussions with the players to find the most suitable tactical solution for Milan?

No, I think it is based on my observation of many recent matches and an objective assessment of the team's technical characteristics. Of course, I also listen to the players' opinions, but for a head coach—especially at a big club—if you make decisions solely because you listen to the players, observe them, and understand them, it will not work, because each player wants to play according to their individual technical characteristics, and it is very difficult to create a unified tactical team identity based on that. So it is always my own decision.

My sense from these recent matches—and it is the same feeling I had when I managed Manchester United, and I absolutely cannot make that same mistake again—is that sometimes we do not have the perfect technical characteristics to play in such a fixed manner. If we lack those technical characteristics, we need to make some tactical adjustments and changes, and I think today's adjustment worked.

In some upcoming matches, we may also return to a three-defender setup. The main thing is to have several different playing styles and patterns, especially in Italy, because coaches here are extremely tactically astute and very clever. They excel at individual marking, and once they lose the thread of our tactical intentions, it becomes harder for the opposing coach, because sometimes I also find it very difficult to decipher and understand the tactical fluidity of other teams.

Переведено ИИ.

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