Fabio Capello, the AC Milan head coach, gave a lengthy and insightful interview to La Gazzetta dello Sport, analyzing Milan’s performance against Feyenoord in the Champions League.
Here’s what he had to say:
"I knew that playing Feyenoord at home would be tough. They are a team that runs a lot, has decent quality, and knows how to position itself well on the pitch, fueled by a very passionate crowd. It wasn’t an easy away game, and Milan struggled, putting in a poor performance. Let me say this: perhaps in Italy, the challenge was slightly underestimated beforehand."
Shouldn't Milan have shown more quality?
"The match was shaped and complicated by Maignan’s huge mistake just three minutes in. From that moment on, the tactical plan favored Feyenoord, allowing them to sit back and counter quickly, taking advantage of Milan’s natural imbalance with four attacking players plus Reijnders. You can display quality when you control the game and create spaces, but if your star players are forced to track back more than they attack, they will struggle."
Can the result be overturned in the return leg?
"Of course, but first and foremost, they need to show more grit. The Milan we saw in Rotterdam was too soft when it came to fighting. At San Siro, I expect a completely different performance, but they must be very careful of Feyenoord’s counterattacks—especially Igor Paixao, who caused serious trouble for a veteran like Walker. Walker ultimately handled it well thanks to his experience and intelligence. Of all the attacking players on the pitch at De Kuip, the Brazilian was undoubtedly the brightest."
Let’s talk about Milan’s four attacking stars, starting with Rafael Leao.
"Perhaps he was the only one who actually tried to make something happen, but even in the rare moments he managed to beat his man, he always made the wrong decision, touch, or cross, failing to have a real impact."
Joao Felix couldn’t bring creativity to the team vs Feyenoord... Capello commented:
"The same applies to Pulisic. When high-quality but lightweight players are forced to chase more than they get on the ball, they struggle. Pulisic, in particular, also had trouble tracking back, which in turn created problems for Fofana, Reijnders, and especially Walker, who often found himself outnumbered—one of his opponents always being the excellent Paixao."
It wasn’t a great homecoming for Santiago Gimenez... Capello replied:
"Not at all, but I’m not sure how much of that was his fault. The Mexican certainly wasn’t at his best, but how many useful balls did he receive as a striker? Zero. For a forward with his characteristics, service is crucial, and he simply didn’t get any."
You mentioned the need for grit, was Strahinja Pavlovic the only one who really showed the right attitude?
"Solid, effective. Yes, Pavlovic managed to clean up two or three dangerous situations in defense. Feyenoord always attacked with speed and confidence when countering. Luckily, the Serbian stepped in to cover on multiple occasions, and overall, the defense held up. Even Walker, despite facing a red-hot Paixao, managed to contain him to some extent."
What about the midfield?
"The Fofana-Reijnders duo struggled because of the team’s overall imbalance. I wouldn’t blame either one individually—it was a structural issue."
Has Sergio Conceição's influence been visible, or is milan still lacking an identity? Capello replied:
"Conceição has had some results, like winning the Supercoppa in Saudi Arabia or eliminating Roma in the Coppa Italia, but I haven’t seen much in terms of actual playing style. The team still relies more on individual talent than collective movement. And when that happens, it’s hard to maintain consistency..."
