AC Milan's head coach, Paulo Fonseca, has spoken to the media in a press conference in view of the match against AS Roma which is set to be played tomorrow (December 29) at the San Siro.
It’s the first time you’re facing Roma as an opposing coach. Did you imagine it this way?
"Yes, Roma is Roma. It’s a great club, a great city. They have a strong team with good players and a great coach who has won a lot. Returning here to Italy and playing against Roma is special for me. I have friends there, but tomorrow, when I step onto the field, it will be like playing against any other team, with the same desire to win and perform well. For 90 minutes, I’ll have only one thought: to win."
Can you give us a medical update? Fonseca replied:
"I expected Pulisic to be available. He’s fine, but in the last two days, he’s had a new ankle problem, unrelated to the previous one. He hasn’t trained with us and won’t be ready for tomorrow—not even for the bench. Loftus-Cheek is much better, and I think he’ll be an option next week. Morata is fine and ready to play. Bennacer is in good spirits and very motivated. He doesn’t have the physical condition to play 90 minutes but will play tomorrow—I’m sure of it. Musah and Leao are further behind in their recovery; we’ll see if we can have them back for the Super Cup. But we’ll have 11 players (smiles)."
How is Theo Hernandez doing?
"We’ve been working with Theo in training to help him recover physically. I think he knows he can do much better. Honestly, in these past two days, we’ve worked together and spoken a lot, and I’m feeling very positive about him. Let’s see how it goes, but my positivity stems mainly from these last two days."
Are two days enough to see him start tomorrow?
"We have to wait and see."
How does the team change with Alex Jimenez instead of Rafael Leao?
"They’re different players. Rafa is stronger in one-on-ones, while Jimenez is quick and plays more for crosses and assists. However, Jimenez is also a player capable of individual initiative. I won’t make big comparisons, but he’s adapted well to this position. One thing is certain for tomorrow: Jimenez will play. We’ll see whether as a winger or a full-back."
Milan vs. Roma: a clash between two of the biggest disappointments in the league?
"No, I don’t think so. I don’t feel that way. We’re far from the end of the season. Comparing us to other teams, it’s unfair to say that only Roma and Milan are underperforming."
Are you happy with Tammy Abraham?
"Players have ups and downs. He had a great spell playing with Morata but has struggled more recently. That said, I’m satisfied with Abraham."
Have you asked ‘Santa Claus’ for a starting midfielder? What’s your take on the potential departure of Fikayo Tomori?
"We’re evaluating all scenarios. The club is attentive. Any changes we make will be made with the team’s best interests in mind. Right now, I’m focused on the next match and the Super Cup. As for Tomori, we haven’t discussed it—it’s news to me. If we need to talk about it, we will."
Is Fikayo Tomori still useful to Milan? After Kalulu joined Juventus, losing Tomori too would be a mistake...
"I respect your point of view. Tomori is a great professional and important to the team. Whether he plays or not, he works the same way, and that’s vital for me. He’s already played, sat on the bench, and has never changed his attitude. These players are critical for me—not just those who play every match. Tomori is important to me. I can’t guarantee who will play tomorrow or more often, but he’s invaluable."
Are you working toward a Fofana-Bennacer-Reijnders midfield?
"I don’t know. I know who will play tomorrow. What I can honestly say is that Bennacer doesn’t yet have the physical condition to start. But I’m very satisfied with his return. He’s motivated, working hard, and bringing great energy to the team. I feel he can be very important for us in this part of the season."
Lots of sacrifice but disappointing offensive output from Chukwueze. Do you regret not coaching Saelemaekers? Fonseca replied:
"I don’t look back. Saelemaekers knows what I think of him. Honestly, I’m happy he’s doing well. Regarding Chukwueze, I agree—he works hard for the team and sacrifices a lot. It’s not easy to handle the defensive workload he’s been given, but he’s doing well. However, he’s lacking in decision-making in key moments. He needs to improve and become more decisive. It’s also a matter of confidence. We’re working on this, and we expect him to contribute more in the final third."
How is the team shaping up ahead of the Super Cup?
"After today’s training session, I’m very positive. They’ve worked very hard. I can only feel optimistic after a session like this."
So, are you expecting to play an extra match?
"I’m not thinking about anything else."
Could we see Theo Hernandez higher up the field and Alex Jimenez further back?
"No."
A resolution for 2025?
"That’s easy: I want to win. I want to lift the team to a position in the standings that better reflects our qualities."
Could Fikayo Tomori be used as a right-back?
"At Verona, it was a temporary choice, but I’ve considered it. City sometimes plays with four central defenders. Defensively, Tomori could play there—he’s the fastest defender in the squad. Offensively, though, it’s more complicated due to our attacking dynamics. In certain games, if we need to defend better, it could happen."
January, between Serie A, the Champions League, and the Supercoppa, is it decisive for the team and for you? What do you not want to see in 2025? Fonseca replied:
"It's not hard to understand what I want to see in 2025: a team with a more consistent attitude. Do I consider January decisive? No. It's a packed January, too packed. So, I have to think one game at a time. Right now, I'm only thinking about Roma, and after that match, I'll start thinking about the Supercoppa. If I think too far ahead, it's impossible to do things well."
What do you mean by consistent?
"We're talking about a team that has played matches where it showed what it can do well. Without those matches, we might have thought there was a real problem. However, the team has demonstrated its abilities in tough games. The issue is that the team doesn't approach all games in the same way, and that's the problem. Today, we're here talking about a Milan that's struggling, but if we had two more points from matches against Genoa and Cagliari, perhaps this wouldn't be a big discussion. That happened because the team is inconsistent in how it approaches opponents: when it doesn't play against top teams, it thinks the match will be easy. That's what we need to change. In this, we need to be consistent: to view all teams the same way and not drop points where we shouldn't. Is this a tactical issue? No. A technical issue? No. A current problem? No. We're doing everything we can. Have we tried everything? No, because these moments keep happening. It's a big challenge. I'm confident we'll find the right path."
