Following the 2-0 defeat against Benfica in the Europa League, Milan head coach Ruben Amorim did not hide his concern in the post-match press conference. Clear, honest words that must now translate into concrete answers on the pitch, starting from the very next game.
Amorim: «I Am Always Worried, But We Must Start Winning»
The Portuguese coach was straightforward: «I am always worried, even for a game that wasn’t won or was won while playing badly. Now we must understand that this is football, we are at the beginning of a journey and we have to work to win matches. We already know the pressure that exists at big clubs, so for me this is nothing new — I think it’s normal. But obviously now we have to do better and start winning the next games.»
These words confirm an awareness of the problem while also conveying the will to work and turn things around. Milan is at the beginning of a journey, and this must always be kept in mind: certain automatisms are built over time, through consistency and daily work at Milanello.
The Main Issue: Milan Falls Apart After Conceding the First Goal
The most pressing concern, highlighted by Amorim himself, relates to the team’s mental reaction when conceding a goal. Both against Lazio — where the Rossoneri managed to come back to 2-2 thanks in part to second-half substitutions — and against Benfica, Milan showed the same weakness: once behind, the team loses its organisation and is overwhelmed by anxiety.
Amorim identified this as both a mental and tactical problem: «These difficulties in the first half, these wrong approaches, are problems of mental or tactical approach.» The manager is not yet certain exactly where the root of the issue lies, but the diagnosis is clear: for two consecutive matches, Milan failed to stay in the game once the opponent found the net.
Part of the solution must come from the training week: simulating losing situations in practice, teaching players how to keep the ball and maintain tactical clarity even when the result goes against them. It is in those moments that a team’s true identity is revealed.
Florenzi: «The Problem Is the Starting Lineup»
One of the most interesting insights from the post-match came from Alessandro Florenzi, former Rossoneri full-back. The ex-Milan player highlighted that the real problem lies in the choice of the starting eleven: getting the initial lineup wrong forces the manager to intervene in the second half with substitutions, which means handing 45 minutes to the opposition as a gift.
Florenzi noted that Benfica also made changes during the game, but if Milan needs to make two substitutions at the 45th minute every time, something is clearly not working in the construction of the starting XI. For the former number 25, the team’s driving force must be Christian Pulisic: the American needs to be given the conditions to lead his teammates from the very first minute, building a solid base as soon as possible for Amorim’s game to express itself.
Costacurta: «I Expected More»
Milan legend and TV pundit Alessandro Costacurta also expressed disappointment after the Benfica match. The former defender noticed that Milan looked for depth far too rarely, pointing to a structural problem in the attacking phase. He also stressed that players who are given an important opportunity — playing in Europe, in a high-profile environment — have an obligation to prove their worth. Failing to do so means taking responsibility.
Jashari: «We Need to Be More Aggressive»
The most significant words, however, came from inside the dressing room. Ardon Jashari, the Rossoneri midfielder, spoke with great clarity at the end of the game: «We have to believe in the project, but this isn’t enough. We need to be aggressive — if you have the right spirit from the very first seconds, the game changes. If instead we give things away to the opponent, that’s not about the project: we simply need to do better.»
The French midfielder used strong language to describe certain on-pitch attitudes, underlining that the team cannot afford to hand the initiative to the opposition without being able to react. A courageous statement that shows just how widespread the awareness of the problem is within the dressing room — the same perception already expressed by other players after the Juventus and Lazio games.
Milan Is Neither Defensive Nor Offensive: An Identity Must Be Found
The overall picture is that of a team unable to express a recognisable playing identity: the defensive phase concedes too much, the offensive phase produces too little. Santiago Giménez, the Mexican striker in whom Milan have made a significant investment, cannot be left without serviceable balls: if a centre-forward doesn’t receive the collective support he needs from the team’s build-up play, the problem is not the player himself, but the way the team constructs its game.
There is, however, a positive element to build on: awareness. Amorim, Jashari, the players themselves — everyone knows what is wrong. And when a team is aware of its own problems, it has already done half the work needed to solve them. The upcoming international break will be crucial for addressing these issues without the immediate pressure of a match.
Next Fixture: Milan vs Lecce at San Siro
Before the break, there is one unmissable appointment: Sunday evening at San Siro, Milan host Lecce. It is the perfect moment to claim three points, get back to winning and send a strong signal to the entire Rossoneri fanbase. After two draws against Juventus and Lazio and the defeat to Benfica, a difficult week that has weighed heavily on the mood around the club, beating Lecce could represent the spark needed to get the engine running again.
The Europa League still has many games to go. A run of positive results would completely change the outlook. The fans believe in it, and Milan have everything they need to turn things around.
