A point in Turin that tastes of regret — but also of self-awareness. The 1-1 draw against Juventus leaves behind some important reflections, above all thanks to the sharp and direct words of Rúben Amorím, who after the final whistle made no attempt to hide behind excuses or justifications.
Amorim’s Analysis: Honesty First
At the end of the match at the Allianz Stadium, Amorím chose the path of frankness. «We didn’t deserve to win. If we’re honest, I think Juventus didn’t deserve to lose. We tried to play our football, but we weren’t good with the ball. There were moments when we controlled the game in the first half, but then we started losing too many balls and we suffered. We didn’t play well, but we’ve only been working together for two months and we got a point. We obviously need to improve, but it takes time. It was a difficult match.»
Words that give pause for thought, but that also reveal a manager who knows his own limitations and those of his squad, without hiding behind clichés. A rare quality in modern football, and an encouraging sign for the future of the Milan project.
Milan on the Pitch: More Shadow Than Light
Looking at the game on its merits, Milan’s performance showed more weaknesses than strengths. The Rossoneri managed just one shot on target — the goal scored by Cissé, following a cross from the right by Chukwueze. For the rest, the build-up play was poor, with few attacking sparks and Gonzalo Ramos too often left isolated and far from the team’s play.
In midfield, the squad showed its limits: Saelemaekers and Rabiot failed to convince in the first half, while the introduction of Loftus-Cheek in the second period brought more to the construction phase — before a lapse in marking on Gatti‘s equaliser ultimately cost Milan the win.
The Attacking Midfield: Still a Puzzle
One of the tactical knots Amorím will need to untangle in the coming weeks concerns the attacking midfield zone. The constant rotation in that area — first Cissé and Loftus-Cheek against Venezia and Torino, then Saelemaekers and Rabiot against Juventus, then further changes mid-game — is not a sign of stability. Finding the right combination and committing to it will be crucial for building consistency in the team’s play.
The situation of Christian Pulisic also deserves attention: three rounds into the season, the American winger has yet to make the impact expected of a player of his calibre. A lengthy injury lay-off explains part of it, but Milan need his quality back as soon as possible.
The Table and Expectations
With 7 points from three games, Milan are off to an acceptable start. The schedule will soon bring another demanding test, and it will be the moment for Amorím to show that his footballing ideas are taking shape. The road is still long, the project is young — just two months of work together — but at Milan the margins for patience are inevitably shorter than elsewhere. As the coach himself said: «We need to do simple things excellently, and today we didn’t.»
A work in progress, yes — but one built on a foundation of honesty and awareness that could be the first brick of something truly solid.
