Win to change the standings in the Europa League, build on Saturday evening’s success in the derby, and arrive in the best possible condition for the difficult away trip to Genoa on Sunday afternoon. All while maintaining a high-level mentality and without falling into lapses in concentration that a team like Milan cannot afford. During the press conference presenting this evening’s clash against Ferencvaros, Ruben Amorim outlined these messages for those around the club and the team, because the time for roller coasters must end.
His statement regarding the different consideration given to the matches against Bologna and Inter was cutting but, at the same time, very telling: "During the week before the match against Bologna, people, even fans, stopped me saying: ‘Good luck for the derby.’ I don’t understand it: Bologna was the most important match for us. This is the kind of mentality we cannot afford; it is a small-team mentality. A small team only worries about the big occasions. No, no, no: every match is a big occasion. So I don’t know, tomorrow’s game will say much more about my team than the one against Inter." Translation: Milan cannot afford a provincial mentality; they cannot think only about the big matches, but all matches must be big.
And on Ferencvaros, Amorim puts everyone on alert: "They have won matches; they are comfortable in this competition. We won the derby, but a crucial match awaits us for our path in the Europa League. We must put Inter behind us and move forward." On the further step in growth for his team, which seems to have two faces depending on whether the starters or the alternatives play, Amorim says: "Rotating without lowering the level is the secret to always doing well. We have many players out, but tomorrow we must be very effective. Good at set pieces, playing a match of a high standard, which, at times, we have not done."
Meanwhile, on the team’s identity, the Milan coach says: "We already have an identity: we want to dominate matches; sometimes we manage to do it and sometimes we don’t. Sometimes we change the formation and the defensive phase, and people don’t even notice. Our identity is to be proactive: we still lack the ability to push our opponents into their penalty area to create more chances. But we are playing better; we are also managing certain moments better. But there is still a lot of work to do, especially in the final 30 metres: I must help my players do it," as relayed via Tuttosport in this morning's print edition.
Finally, a passage on the difference in performance between Serie A and the Europa League: "Against Benfica we had some problems with the few chances we allowed the opposition, and we conceded goals. Then we won an excellent match in Salzburg and then in Bournemouth. We had a sending-off, two penalties; it was our fault. I believe we are not doing really well in Serie A; naturally, we won the last one, but looking at the team and the matches, I think we should have more points. So I am not satisfied in the Europa League; I am not satisfied in Serie A. I think we can do better, but sometimes that is how it goes. Every match has its own story. But I think tomorrow we can do better and win."
