Paulo Fonseca, the AC Milan coach, spoke to the media in a press conference after the 0-0 draw against Juventus at the San Siro.
Question: What does he say about the whistles at San Siro?
"If I were a fan, I would have done the same because this was one of the most boring matches of my career. I completely understand the fans. The best word I can use is 'boring.' There was too much respect from both sides."
What was your intention at the start of the match? Fonseca replied:
"I always want to take the initiative and attack. Defensively, we had no problems, just like Juve. We can’t forget that we’re coming off a match where we conceded three goals, so I understand the team’s focus was on defending well. Plus, we faced a team that allows very few chances. To create opportunities, we had to be perfect. We have players capable of taking risks, but every time we tried to counter quickly, we always messed up the final pass."
Why didn’t you bring on Tammy Abraham?
"Juve created a lot of numerical superiority in midfield by not playing with strikers, so we needed Morata’s work. They forced us into that situation."
Can courage be coached?
"We always prepare to attack, even against a team that defends as well as Juve. I’m the first to want an offensive team, but it’s hard to explain why we didn’t take more risks."
Why didn’t you try to break the monotony by making substitutions earlier?
"Pulisic arrived with an issue; I couldn’t use him for long. The player wasn’t feeling well, and I couldn’t risk playing him for an extended period—I even took a chance by playing him at all. As for the others, I didn’t think substitutions could significantly change what was happening."
Did the starting lineup send a message to the team to defend more? Fonseca said:
"I’d choose the same lineup again. This was the lineup we used in Madrid, except for Pulisic. The same structure, the same team."
Milan could be ninth tomorrow...
"We’re obviously not satisfied. We’ve already talked about the team’s growth, but the results aren’t what we want. The problem isn’t today’s result but the draw against Cagliari and the loss to Parma. With wins in those two matches, we’d be higher in the standings. We’re not satisfied, but we’re confident about the team’s progression."
