Amorim addresses Maignan's moment of madness
Amorim has taken a firm but fair stance regarding Maignan's recent disciplinary lapse. The French goalkeeper was sent off during Milan's 3-0 Europa League defeat to Bournemouth after an uncharacteristic shove on Tyler Adams. The incident occurred as a corner was being delivered, leaving the Italian side with a mountain to climb in England.
'The players are not boys, they are men. Maignan understood right away he cannot do that, we cannot put ourselves in that position,' Amorim explained in an interview with DAZN Italia. The Portuguese coach was keen to stress that the loss in Bournemouth was not due to a lack of technical ability, but rather a deficiency in fighting spirit. He added: 'I had a conversation with him, but I had a conversation with everyone. I felt what happened at the beginning with Bournemouth was nothing to do with tactics or technical qualities, because they were not better than us on a technical level, they were more competitive.'
The manager's focus remains on elevating the intensity levels of his squad. He noted that the competitiveness of the opposition has been a recurring theme, even in matches where Milan have remained undefeated. 'That is something we see in the first halves in the league too, it's about how competitive we are. Sometimes we need to forget about playing really nice, we need to approach the game in a different way,' Amorim remarked, highlighting his desire for a more pragmatic and aggressive approach when the situation demands it.
Managing a deepening injury crisis
Beyond the disciplinary issues, Amorim is facing a severe squad crisis due to a mounting injury list. The trip to Bournemouth proved particularly costly, with Adrien Rabiot, Mario Gila, and Diego Moreira all sustaining fitness setbacks that ruled them out of today's clash against Udinese. Their absences further compound Milan's selection headache, as Samuel Chukwueze, Matteo Gabbia, Alexis Saelemaekers, and Pietro Terracciano were already sidelined through injury.
Speaking on the necessity of squad rotation, Amorim was blunt about the physical state of his players. 'They cannot play, it's just not possible. We need to manage the players, and there are players here today too where we need to manage their minutes,' he noted. The relentless nature of the football calendar has forced his hand, as he explained that 'With this schedule, it's impossible to use everyone at the same time. Because we need to try to win every game, we need to balance everything, and they are not available for today.'
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Tactical shifts and defensive rotations
The absences have forced Amorim to look toward the periphery of his squad, handing first Serie A starts of the season to Fikayo Tomori and Sankhoun Diawara.
'We know that Udinese have five players at the back, so we try to play in a different way,' Amorim commented regarding the tactical setup. He further detailed his selection process during this injury-hit period, stating: 'What matters is the rotation, I try to choose the players that are available physically, and then look at their characteristics. If I had all the players then I might play a different way, but today my feeling is this is the best starting XI for the game. It won't be the line-up to finish, but it's the best to start.'
Crucial fixtures on the horizon
Milan currently find themselves in a strange position, remaining unbeaten in Serie A but struggling to produce consistent performances. High-scoring draws against Juventus and Lazio, combined with a nervy 3-2 victory over Atalanta where they nearly surrendered a three-goal lead, have left fans wanting more stability. The return of Goncalo Ramos provides a timely boost to the attacking department as the schedule begins to ramp up with several high-stakes matches.
'Goncalo Ramos is ready to play, otherwise he wouldn't be here. He had a problem midweek, he has recovered, everyone here including those on the bench are ready to play,' Amorim concluded. The Rossoneri face a pivotal week that includes a midweek fixture against Bologna before the highly anticipated Derby della Madonnina against arch-rivals Inter.