Ruben Amorim, AC Milan's head coach, has spoken to the media in a press conference ahead of the Juventus-Milan match.
Here are his statements:
Do you see yourself reflected in the portrait of your players?
“I try to, because off the pitch they are human beings and I am the leader of that dressing room. It is my job to help my players, but on the pitch we have to work hard; there is no other way. We have to do it properly to win matches and trophies. I am very demanding in the gym and on the pitch. Away from football, however, I am a guy who wants to help them, both them and their families.”
This is a particular eve of a match. What is your view of the team? Why did you bring Tomori back into the squad?
“I speak to Cardinale and Calvelli every day, so it is normal for me to have them here. It may not be normal for you, but it is for me. I am very satisfied with the transfer window. We have brought in top players who will help us throughout the season, but also in the future. That is our objective.
“I also want to spend time discussing how Milan operates: everyone needs to be aligned on a player we want to sign. If someone is not aligned, we do not sign that player. We spend more time thinking things through so that the decision we make is the best one. And this summer, we were aligned.
“Tomori? We had a problem with Gabbia and we do not know how long he will be out. It is somewhat similar to the situation we had with Gila during pre-season. If we look at our schedule, we have to play four matches in ten days, so I want us to be prepared for any eventuality.
“Tomori is an excellent player anyway, and I saw that he was training well. My priority is the team, and at that moment I thought bringing him back into the squad was the best decision.”
What rating would you give Milan’s transfer window? Are you still convinced that there was no need for another attacking player alongside Camarda and Ramos?
“Everyone gives ratings. Mine? 10. My players are the best in the world because everyone we have brought into the squad is perfect for this path.
“Of course, we can also think about different characteristics, but I think we need to give Camarda space. We can also play with the three players rotating between positions. Sometimes changing the characteristics of the forwards can help us.
“You do not have a single team in the world with all the characteristics required for every position throughout the season. We will use Camarda. Then, obviously, it depends on the matches. If we win, everything will be fine, while if we lose, some problems will arise. But I am happy with my squad.”
Do you think the time has come to start Rabiot and Moreira?
“We will see. I am not going to tell you today who will start tomorrow. It is also important for the rotations we have within the squad that we keep tomorrow’s starting XI private.
“Moreira has had two weeks of training. He is better prepared than he was last week. He is an option, just like Rabiot, who can play in two positions. So we will see what our starting XI will be.”
What is your response to Chivu's statements, as he said that Juventus-Milan is not a title-deciding match?
“Nothing. I am focused on our match. If we win tomorrow, we will be top of the table alongside the other teams. I am focused on us and on the work we have to do. So I have nothing to say about it.”
Amorim, how are you experiencing your first big match in Italy?
“I think it depends on how much pressure you put on yourself. We have to win every match, so I do not think big matches are more important than others.
“During pre-season, we did not win some matches and the pressure was already there. At big clubs, there are always big matches. It will be a good test to see whether we have improved compared with last week, especially because we will be facing a great team and a great coach, away from home.
“I am excited. I think my team is ready. I am ready. It will be a normal day of work for me, and I am excited about seeing my team tomorrow.”
From your point of view, are you improving defensively? You have studied the schedule ahead carefully, but do you think such a packed schedule is normal?
“I have never had such a congested run of matches in my career, not even in the Premier League. It will be difficult, but we can also give certain players a rest and make rotations. That is why we have all these players available.
“It is important for me to see these players through to January, and then we will understand better what will happen.
“The defence? Against Torino, I think we controlled the transitions better; against Venezia, less so. We have to maintain our focus in every match.
“We have had some defensive problems when we lose the ball or when we are in possession because we were not organised. We have worked a lot on this during the week.
“And then I have centre-backs like Pavlovic and Mario [Gila] who sometimes think they are No. 10s and take a few too many risks. We have to manage this situation better.
“I was not satisfied with the performance against Venezia, and we have to do better against top teams like Juventus.”
Do you think you can use Chivu’s words to motivate the team? Do you see Moreira more as a wing-back or as a player behind the striker? Amorim responded:
“I see Moreira as a wing-back, but there will be matches where he can play further forward or alongside Chukwueze. We have a lot of players to rotate. As for Chivu’s words, if we need words like that to motivate ourselves at Milan, then there is something wrong with us. In recent years, we have finished in league positions that tell us we have a lot of work to do.
“We have a lot to work on, to honour our fans and bring the club back to the level it deserves. We do not need Chivu’s words to motivate us.
“The most important thing is that I see Milan and, for me, it is the best club in the world. But in 20 years, we have won zero Coppa Italia trophies and two Scudetti. Something is wrong; we know that.
“We have a lot to do. We have to work and achieve our objectives on time. I do not care what Chivu or anyone else says. But we have to focus on why, over the years, Milan has not been Milan.
“That is why it is better to focus on our team, and we should not care about what other people say. We are working to bring the team back to the level it deserves.”
What kind of coach is Spalletti? Have you never beaten Juventus either as a player or as a coach? Amorim had this to say:
"It’s normal. When you face a back three or a back four, the way you press or attack changes. We have to change something, but we will do it. In any case, I’m not certain about how Juventus will defend. There will be some tactical aspects that change, but we will change as well because we have already done so during pre-season. Spalletti needs no introduction: he is intelligent, has great qualities, knows the league, and I like the way he gets his team to play. It will be a tough match. We are at the beginning, but we know that we are ready for the game. It will be a good match, and I have never beaten Juventus as a coach, but I have as a player. I will be ready to do it for the first time as a coach."
How do you manage your starting XI, considering that you have often brought the big players on during the match? Amorim said:
"At the start of the season, it’s difficult. You have to understand the physical condition of some players. We also have to understand how to finish the match. The most important thing is how you train during the week, because if you don’t train well, I change my mind immediately. So, if I have to say one thing: if you deserve to play during the week, you play; otherwise, you don’t. Obviously, I always field the best possible XI, but it’s normal that I need to have weapons on the bench that allow me to change the game during the match."
