AC Milan, Amorim: “Modric? I understand the criticism, Luka cannot press all the time. I know there was someone who could not wait for us to drop points”

Have you already identified the issues that emerged against Juventus?

"We have spoken about it and worked on many of the things we did badly in the last match. We lacked energy. We controlled the ball well in the first half but lacked aggression in the final third and did not get enough players into the penalty area. I showed the lads that Juventus' chances came from us losing the ball without pressure, from misplaced and lazy passes. These are situations that can make the difference."

Against Juventus, Ramos had few touches but he moved a lot: how should he be supplied to make him more dangerous?

"We must not focus on just one player: we did not play well against team. If we lose the ball without pressure, we have several problems... When Ramos had the ball, the understanding with his team-mates was not the best and he knows that. We have to improve as a team: against Torino and Venezia he did very well. In those matches we showed that we know how to bring him into play, but against Juventus he did not produce the same performance. Ramos is a player who can perform very well."

Some say Modric, at 41, struggles with this type of football. What is your opinion?

"That argument makes sense. Luka cannot press all the time, but he always has the tempo of the game in his hands and understands it better than anyone else. As a coach I have to choose. Maybe we lose something in the press, but on the ball we have more control with Modric on the pitch. Against Juventus maybe there was less pressing and at times Douglas Luiz had more time to manage, but look at when we had the ball. I think that if we have to lose something, it is better for it to be without the ball. With the ball, on the other hand, we must always have that little bit extra. And Luka gives us that little bit extra. I understand this criticism, that's fair, but you have to have a complete view: Modric allows us to manage the ball better and I want a team that dominate possession."

The great former Milan players agree on giving Amorim time. Does that give you confidence? Do you feel the team are improving?

"We have to improve in every training session. If something is not working, we get a lot of information and take it onto the training pitch. After Juventus we saw what to do in those situations. We will see tomorrow. On the first part of the question, I have already worked at a club with many legends, and legends have very strong opinions. But I live in a different era and I know what moment the club are going through. I do not want my players to forget the importance of playing for and winning for AC Milan. For me, that is the most important thing. We need time, but how much time we have depends on the club and not on me. We have to build a foundation to win consistently and that takes time. If we look at the Premier League, how long did Arsenal take to win? And if we also look in Italy at Juventus and Inter. It takes time to win consistently and you have to build something. And to buy time, we have to win on Saturday. By winning, we will have more time to build our project."

You have often changed the attacking midfielders: will there be any new faces tomorrow in terms of who plays behind Gonçalo Ramos?

"I will not say who will play. Pulisic is training well, Cisse is doing well, Saelemaekers too. Hutchinson is improving his fitness, there is Loftus-Cheek... If you look at the last few matches, those who came off the bench changed the game, that is an important thing. I will not say who is playing but I have the feeling there will be a strong team on the pitch."

Is Cisse ready for the national team? And on the table: by winning you would be top for one night.

"The table does not matter to me at this moment. Being top for one night would not be special, that is for children, for my son (laughs, editor's note). If Cisse were to play for the national team he would be free, he is ready. But at the same time he needs more time to help his growth: I have already noticed a difference between home matches and away matches. Playing at San Siro is tough, give him time. But if you put him in the national team he will not be shy, he will play. But give him time to become the player he can become."

How is Pulisic doing? Do you like him?

"You will see him tomorrow, I don't know whether from the start or during the game. I think he will play a few minutes. I like him a lot as a player. He is angry because he has had zero minutes so far and I like that in my players, he is sulking. Don't forget he had an injury in the summer and then in the first training session he took a knock and had to stop. I will not take out those who are doing well just to put in a 'name': this is my way of managing the group and I will die by these principles. Pulisic is very important for me. After the international break there are eight weeks with three matches a week: everyone will be tired with how much they will play. Pulisic is important and will play a lot of matches. But you have to understand the context and my history to understand why I make certain choices. But you will see Pulisic from this weekend".

Is it a case of reintegrating Bondo?

"We have enough players, we have one extra player for every position. We are fine, we have players ready for everything we need".

Is there another midfielder with the same characteristics as Musah?

"Rabiot can play in the same position, Jashari too. Musah can drive forward from deep, Rabiot can too. Jashari is a bit different but he can play as a No 8. Comotto is very young and is training in this position and is improving in every training session. As a No 8, Musah, Rabiot, Jashari, Comotto and also Loftus-Cheek can play there, with different characteristics".

Can Amorim make Milan play like Fabregas' Como?

"I think we are different coaches with different backgrounds and at different clubs. Cardinale has never told me that should be the inspiration. I have my own very clear style of play and it will take time. Every coach needs time. You saw it a little against Torino and United, even if it was a friendly. If you want to play like Como then you have to buy Como's coach. I am different, my identity is different. Coaching Milan is difficult, just as coaching Como is difficult. But I am not focused on what Fabregas is doing: my focus is only on how to win at Milan and on how to play according to my ideas. I like to 'steal' lots of things from every coach, but I do not copy anything from anyone. The fun part of being a coach is not being here with you at a press conference (laughs, ed.), but the tactical side. You can tell me anything, but not that I have copied something: I have my own way of playing. I understand that you like Como a lot, but I have my own identity."

On Hutchinson and Rabiot, left-footed attacking midfielders but with different characteristics.

"It depends on what you want from a match. Rabiot is more of a box-to-box player, not someone who plays between the lines. But he is really good near the penalty area, he knows how to score. Sometimes you want that: fewer plays between the lines and more aggression near the area. Loftus-Cheek, who is right-footed, can also play there. But he needs to be more aggressive near the penalty area, he needs to be much more involved in the game. He cannot do well for five minutes, then disappear, then come back. He has to be more consistent over the 90 minutes. Hutchinson has some fine qualities, he is used to playing there. But Pulisic can also be very good between the lines."

How do you react to the criticism that comes your way?

"Criticism is normal. That there should be more of it than I received at my previous club is impossible (smiles, ed.). I remember what I told you: I told you that I put Milan first and that remains my intention. I was asked to be proactive on the pitch and we want to do that. But we also have to take the opponents into account: Luciano Spalletti is very good. But that does not change our intention, which you will always see: we will never do anything by chance. If anything, we may even be too rigid. I understand that for you it is difficult to see a young coach who comes from outside and tells you how football should be played. Our intention is to dominate, but there are so many good coaches like Spalletti and Fabregas who will test us. It takes time. I know there was someone who could not wait for us to drop points so they could ask me that question: if we had won, many would have kept criticisms and questions in their pocket for another week. Spalletti got the better of me, but the intention is not lacking. Sometimes it will not be possible, I will not always be able to offer you the spectacle you want. After Juventus I opened my eyes and I know what to expect. I told my boys to be perfect and to win, people cannot wait for us to stumble. I hope they can hear me now, they are at lunch and listening to me: I told them on the first training day this week, we have to be perfect and I am happy that they are still listening to these words."

The thinking behind the role changes (Saelemaekers, Moreira and Rabiot):

"We are trying to find the best balance in the rotations and the best positions for each player, all together. We have to find the best combinations between the players. I understand the criticism and I understand that, to work on certain patterns, we have to work with the same players. But my answer is that I have to find the best positions, the best patterns between the players. If the players manage to understand our idea of football then we can use different interpreters. My focus is on that and on winning. I have to find the best balance for the team. Everyone has to be ready to play: making rotations must not change our patterns and our way of playing."