Amorim: Milan lacked presence in first half, ready to adjust tactics

Ruben Amorim acknowledged Milan's struggles in the first half of their Europa League match against Benfica, which ended in a 2-0 defeat. He suggested a potential mental hurdle for the team and expressed his willingness to modify his tactical approach.

Amorim had previously stated his intention to "fail big" if necessary, hinting at an awareness of the limited time he might have to implement his vision at San Siro.

His prediction seemed accurate as Milan suffered their first loss under his leadership, following two Serie A draws against Juventus and Lazio. The team fell 2-0 at home to Benfica in their Europa League opener, with goals from Dodi Lukebakio and Jakub Kaminski. For the second consecutive game, Milan failed to score in the first half, and Amorim's second-half substitutions couldn't alter the outcome.

Amorim identifies recurring issues for Milan

“My idea is to play football,” Amorim told Sky Sport Italia. “This requires ball possession, but we're creating more problems for ourselves with the ball than the opposition does. We're working on establishing routines for more possession inside the box, and we saw some of that in the second half, but we're not converting chances. We lack creativity near the opponent's goal.

“In the first half, after conceding, we lost all focus on our game plan. We tried to rush things without quality. Looking back at the match, we're most vulnerable when we have possession, as we lose the ball in dangerous situations, putting our own goal at risk.”

When asked if Milan's tendency to chase games or recover from slow starts points to a psychological issue with their initial approach, Amorim admitted, “I’m not sure if it’s a mental issue, but this is the second consecutive match where we haven't been present in the first half. We cannot afford to concede such goals, as we already struggle to create chances. When we concede, we become nervous and anxious, making everything harder.”

Addressing the idea that Milan should prioritize defensive solidity over scoring issues, Amorim stated, “Everything is connected. We're not well-organized. For the first goal, we should have maintained defensive positioning outside the box, but instead, we allowed a player into our area. We must improve, as the chances opponents create against us happen when we lose possession.

“We can’t concede these types of goals. We need to score first to change the game's dynamic, given that we don't create many scoring opportunities.”

The lack of movement and passing options for players making runs was highlighted. “That's true, especially in the first half, nobody was making runs in behind. With a team that uses two attacking midfielders, they have no space to operate if there are no runs behind the defense,” Amorim agreed. “We discussed this at halftime. We need to analyze the entire match. We started better after the break, but then we conceded a second goal, forcing them to drop back and wait for us on the counter.”

Some selection decisions drew attention, such as Luka Modric remaining on the bench for the entire game and Diego Moreira being overlooked despite scoring twice against Lazio.

“Rabiot played the full 90 minutes, and we weren't sure if he could replicate that effort, as it was his first time playing that long. It was similar with Pulisic; considering his injury history, he only played 45 minutes.

“Moreira missed two days of training due to personal reasons and didn't train with the team. There are circumstances that aren't always apparent to everyone.

“We need to improve as a team. It's not just about one or two players not performing; we're failing in specific actions, even near the box. For example, nobody is making runs into the box to receive Chukwueze's pass.

“We need to be more precise and better organized.”

This marks Benfica's first victory over Milan, breaking a streak of two draws and four defeats, including losses in the 1963 and 1990 European Cup Finals. Antonio Conte was present in the stands as the crowd booed at the final whistle, intensifying the pressure on Amorim, whose tactical vision was notably absent from the performance.

The question remains whether Amorim will alter his 3-4-2-1 formation or remain steadfast. “I adapt constantly. We need a foundation, and we've only had two months of work. We lost tonight, but we will find ways to adjust for these games. We need to build an identity, but we also need to win, so of course, we can adapt,” concluded Amorim.