The AC Milan head coach, Ruben Amorim, spoke to the media in a press conference ahead of tomorrow's Europa League campaign opener against Benfica at the San Siro.
Milan-Benfica evokes the Champions League, Rui Costa... It is a fascinating clash
"It is a fundamental opportunity. It is our first Europa League game and we cannot wait to get started. We know about the two Champions League finals. Rui Costa is the president of Benfica and an important figure at the club. I also have a past at Benfica, but I am here to win. It is a special game because it is our first Europa League match."
In 2025, you reached the final with United. You know the competition. What is the objective? At least reaching the final?
"We are talking about a competition and the objective is obviously to win it. Our aim is to go all the way. There are many competitive teams, and the difference is being able to rely on a squad that is worthy of the name. With a strong squad, there will have to be a lot of rotation, so everyone must be ready.
"If we do not have too many injuries and all the players remain involved throughout the season, we can win any game. If there is motivation, I think we can win any competition and any match, remembering that there is only one objective: to win."
After Lazio-Milan, what thoughts have you had regarding tomorrow's line-up?
"Against Lazio, there was a change in attitude from one half to the other. I have made my assessments, but it is not just about two or three names. There was a different attitude.
"We played in a completely different way in the second half, but I do not like to focus on individuals. I do not think it was only the substitutions that transformed the team, but also the fact that many of the players who started the first half performed much better after the break.
"I think it is more about the team's dynamics and energy than changing two or three players. Obviously, you can always think: 'We finished the game playing well, so let's start the next match with the same XI.' I am not like that.
"There was a general change in attitude. We also have to consider that we are in a period when we have to manage several matches, so we are not only thinking about Benfica, but also Lecce. In any case, against Lazio, it was a question of attitude."
There had been talk in recent months about the possibility of you coaching Benfica...
"I was clear about what I wanted. There was a possibility that I could return to work in Portugal, but I decided against it. If I had received a call from a Portuguese club, I would have said no.
"Then Milan called me and I could not say no. I would not have returned to Portugal. I chose Milan and I am happy with this important decision."
Amorim on Modric:
"To make Luka feel comfortable in a match, we need to have possession of the ball for long periods. I can remember perhaps seven misplaced passes without any kind of pressure, where we lost the ball and turned the game into a constant running battle. That is not the type of game Luka should be playing.
"Therefore, when you want to field a player like Luka, because we want him in certain situations and in specific matches, we need to have someone capable of thinking very well with the ball at their feet. That is the idea when Luka plays.
"However, we could also notice, and it is curious how everyone has a definitive opinion on players from week to week, that just one week ago against Juventus, people were saying Moreira was not ready, had played badly and had failed to do anything. A week later, we are saying Moreira is Milan's hero. That is football.
"I will not draw any rushed conclusions about Luka's performance. First of all, because he has already won the Ballon d'Or and I know how much he is worth. Secondly, I know that every game has its own story.
"I do not know if he will play tomorrow, but Luka is an important player in our team who will help us throughout the season. So I do not make definitive judgements on players from week to week. I know what they are capable of and I try to manage each player's situation."
Amorim said the following about Omari Hutchinson:
"He is ready to play. He can start from the first minute. We will see tomorrow. I do not want to reveal the starting XI because Marcus is definitely watching the press conference and he is very intelligent, so he is an option.
"I will not say anything else about the starting XI, but Hutchinson is fit and available."
Are you following what Marco Silva's Benfica are doing? Can they win the Europa League?
“Benfica can win any game because they have a great coach and the players to do it. What I used to say in Portugal, I say in exactly the same way here in Italy. I think that sometimes Portuguese clubs are given a responsibility that they shouldn’t have, because they don’t have the same conditions as other clubs, particularly the Italian ones. And by saying that, I’m actually putting even more responsibility on myself, but that is what I have always said in Portugal and what I say now.
“When you look at the coach, however, the team and the rotation that can sometimes be made in the Portuguese league, it is possible if everything goes their way. I see Benfica as a very, very strong team, with a clear identity and fully capable of winning the league.
“As for the Europa League, though, we have to understand that the main responsibility cannot fall on Portuguese clubs. I know how Portuguese teams are sometimes talked about in Portugal, with people saying they should win every game in Europe, so I certainly won’t be the one putting that pressure on Marco Silva.
“They are a team that can clearly win it because Portuguese teams have shown in the past that they can go a long way, just as we can. Obviously, I look at my own team and I see other strong English sides as well. I don’t know how our season will go, but I also see us as having a certain responsibility to go far in the Europa League.
“So that is my answer: they are capable of winning it, they have the coach and the players to do it, and they can make those rotations in the league. I don’t think they should have that burden, because Portuguese clubs already do so much, sometimes with far fewer resources than others.
“Do I miss Portugal? Yes, but I am here now and I think I’ll stay here for several years. I can say that Milan is my second home.”
Amorim, After the Lazio game, you said you weren’t crazy. Have you therefore understood the difference between your strongest starting players and the others?
“Every coach has a general idea in mind of what his team’s strongest XI might be. But then you face the problem we are talking about. From my experience, and it has happened to me twice, the first time as a player when we were competing for the league, the Europa League and the cups, and the second time to a slightly lesser extent, it is impossible to think you can win competitions relying on just 11 or 14 players.
“Therefore, it is difficult for me to say that we have a starting XI. The idea is not to have a fixed XI, but a clear identity in which all the players can play without the team losing too much quality.
“Obviously, I have an idea of which players I want for certain matches, but things can change very quickly. If you think about it for a moment and are honest in your assessment, who would ever have said that Musah would become a starter and Luka Modric would be the problem? Nobody. The situation has changed because the last few games have shown that.
“In modern football, the concept of a first-choice XI is difficult to understand, because I really believe you need the entire group, the entire squad, to win trophies.
“Of course, for certain matches I am beginning to understand what type of player I need and what formation to use. I have a clearer idea of the squad, but the dynamics change throughout the year, and that is a good thing.”
