Amorim: I won’t repeat my mistakes at United with Milan

AC Milan coach Ruben Amorim admitted that he gave his players “greater freedom” during their 3-0 victory over Lecce in the fifth round of Italy’s Serie A, emphasizing that he does not want to repeat the mistakes he made during his tenure at English club Manchester United by being overly rigid with tactical systems.

Christian Pulisic scored the opening goal in the 14th minute, marking his first Serie A goal in 266 days. Adrien Rabiot added a second in the 61st minute, and Diego Moreira sealed the win with a third in the 73rd.

Speaking to DAZN after the match, Amorim said, “I think we improved a lot. The players had more freedom, and there was better movement, especially in runs behind the defenders. We are no longer just a team that keeps possession; we have become a team that also creates danger.” He added, “We had spaces to run into, which is a good thing. We dominated the match, and we knew the opponent was waiting for us to make a mistake, but we defended quite well, and we deserved the win.”

The Milan coach clarified, “The decision is always mine. What I felt in recent matches is the same thing I felt at Manchester United, and I cannot make the same mistake. Sometimes we do not have the ideal characteristics to play that way, and if we don’t, we must adapt.”

Regarding veteran Croatian midfielder Luka Modric, Amorim said, “We need to have a lot of possession for him to give his best, but he is ready to play in any match where we need him. In some games, like the first half against Lazio, which relied solely on transitions, he is not the right fit.”

With his first win after two consecutive draws in the league, Milan moved up to 11 points, two points behind leaders AS Roma, Inter Milan, and Lazio, ahead of the international break.