AC Milan head coach Paulo Fonseca has revealed that he is surprised how quickly the squad have taken on his ideas, and also gave some team news ahead of the curtain raiser against Torino.
Milan open their 2024-25 Serie A campaign on Saturday night at home against Torino hoping to begin a new era in the best possible way, given that it will be the first time in five years that Stefano Pioli has not been the one leading the team out.
While Inter will start the season as the Scudetto favourites, the Rossoneri will be hoping that Fonseca’s ideas – couple with some help from the transfer market – will be enough to bridge and even overcome the gap from last season.
Nonetheless, Torino are usually not an easy opponent and they too are looking to start well under a new head coach, namely Paolo Vanoli who worked with Antonio Conte at Chelsea.
Fonseca spoke to the media on the eve of the game at his pre-match press conference, with his comments relayed by MilanNews.
How are the team feeling on the eve of the new season?
“Very positive feelings from the first day. Today they are even more positive. The players ‘arrived’ at different times. We are ready, the team is ready to start the season with confidence and positive feelings and with great ambition.
“We want to play this match with our identity to show to the fans. It was difficult to imagine, with only five weeks, to have such positive feelings. I did not expect so much from the players, they have understood our ideas. I am very satisfied and with very positive feelings.”
To use an Olympic phrase, from which starting block are Milan beginning the season?
“Obviously there has been a big change, our way of playing and thinking about the games is different. We have only had five weeks. I don’t want to say that we are first place, but we are ready to start this bullfight.”
What can you tell us about Youssouf Fofana?
“I don’t want to talk before the medicals, then we can talk about Fofana. It’s no secret that he’s coming, I’m satisfied with the players’ arrival.”
You used Ruben Loftus-Cheek in different ways in preseason…
“He played deeper in these games, I think he has the characteristics to play two positions: midfielder and attacking midfielder.”
Are Milan the strongest squad you have ever coached?
“It’s too early to say, but it’s a very strong squad, with ambition. I won’t change what I said in the first press conference, we are here to fight for the Scudetto. Every day I work with my guys I have more confidence in this. This group is here to fight for the Scudetto.”
How will your Milan be different from the Milan of previous years?
“I don’t like to make comparisons. You here in Italy have many tactical analysts, it’s your job. I don’t want to talk about the details we work on, but I think that some people who work in football and understand a bit of tactics can notice that it’s a different Milan. I don’t want to say what’s different, but in my opinion it’s clear. I’m not saying it’s better, but it’s different”.
How do you bridge the gap with the first?
“Inter have been very strong in the last two years. There are also other teams: Napoli and Atalanta are teams that can fight for the Scudetto. Juventus too.
“What we want and believe is that we can enter this fight against a very strong team with Inter. It is a team that has had the same coach and the same players for years. We believe that we can enter this fight.”
Is Milan’s mercato closed?
“With the arrival of Fofana, for me the market is closed for arrivals. We have to let players go because we have so many, it’s not easy to work with so many players.”
What difficulties are there against Torino?
“The first match is always difficult. Torino are a very good team. I know the coach well. He has a defensive line of five players, he also has quality with the ball. We have prepared the match well, we want to win. The players are motivated.
“We know that it will be a different match from those we have had in this period: City, Real and Barcelona do not play like Torino, the game will not be so ‘open’. We expect a more defensive team that waits for the counterattack, also because of their characteristics. A totally different match.”
What is still missing in this team?
“Now there is nothing missing. It is not all positive, when there is a change it takes time. But I do not say what needs to be changed. We are not a perfect team, we are far from being perfect.
“But I do not want to say these things to the opponents. These are very clear things for me but I do not want to give this advantage to the opponents.”
The Leao, Pulisic, Chukwueze and Morata attack makes the fans dream…
“I’ve already tried, I’ve already thought about it but I don’t know if they’ll play tomorrow. Chukwu is fine, Morata has just arrived, Pulisic is playing another role and I like it a lot. Rafa is also fine. It’s a possibility, as well as playing with other players.
“Jovic had a good pre-season, Loftus-Cheek can also play as an attacking midfielder. Tomorrow the ones who are in a better moment from all points of view will play.”
Is there anything that has gone surprisingly well?
“Yes, I’ve said before that I’m surprised by the form of the players and how open they’ve been. They’ve worked and tried to do what we’re asking of them. They’ve learned faster than I expected. The team is better than I thought it would be right now.”
Could Yacine Adli leave?
“I don’t want to talk about names, I’ve already spoken to players who have more chances to play elsewhere than here. We have some players who for me at the moment have more chances to play, I’ve already spoken to them: with the arrival of the new ones it’s normal to have less space.”
Where is Pavlovic at?
“Pavlovic and Reijnders are not in the best physical condition to start the game tomorrow, it will be difficult to see them as starters. They have the possibility to enter the game in progress but from the beginning it is difficult.”
You will experience a sold out San Siro…
“It’s very important. It was very exciting to see 50,000 fans against Monza. Tomorrow I think we have the stadium practically full, it will be exciting. Sometimes it’s not just the results. We have to play with ambition to win, but also to make the fans proud and make them want to come to the stadium to see us.
“It’s very important to always have them by our side, but we also have to be the ones to bring them. We have to play and win to make them proud and satisfied with the way we play.”
Speaking of Portuguese, ‘fado’ (fate) brought you to Milan…
“I don’t like fado very much (laughs). I believe a lot in positive energy, fado is melancholic. I think I’m coming to a club like Milan at the right time in my career. The experience here in Italy in Rome helped me a lot. If there’s a time to coach Milan, it’s now.”
What do you think of Velasco’s ideas, who says that a coach has made it when he no longer needs to explain things to his players…
“A very difficult question. I think there is a time for everything. We coaches have to understand these moments. We don’t need to tell the players anything. The difficult thing for a coach is to make quality players play as a team. To tell them what to do to play as a team.
“Today, the teams that win are the teams with quality players but who are more of a team, who all work together, who are all together at all times. I would like to always see them on the pitch here at Milan. We always need to make the players understand that together we are stronger.”
I really like how Fonseca plays his tactical cards close to his chest and I also like how Milanello has blocked views of the training field. No need at all to telegraph your tactics and lineups to your opponents. Based on the bread crumbs and arrival times of the new players I think we’ll see Tomori-Thiaw at CB, two of RLC/Benny/Reijnders at the double pivot, Puli at AM and Chuk or Salad at RW. I have a feeling Morata will get the start at ST over Jovic however.
I doubt Reinjders, Pavlovic and Morata will play. They are not match fit. I think Tomori and Thiaw at CB. Bennacer and Musah double pivot with RLC at AM.
If Pulisic is fit then RLC will partner Bennacer in midfield. With Jovic starting. That means Leao and Chukwueze on the wings.
So far so good! Quite pleasant knowing the noble objectives from the standpoint of the couch. Hoping and praying all things to work together for the good of our beloved club . Good Luck!
I like what I see from him so far. Also has a positive attitude. Of course we will see with games and as time goes on. But I think we did right bringing him.
SVE POZITIVNO ZA SADA Pokriveni smo dobro na svim pozicijama što do sada nije bio slućaj ! jedva čekam utakmice !!
I always love these words he uses “confidence”. Today he says confidence and positive feeling. I love him for what he brings. All this team needs is to play with confidence. Yes confidence will make the difference. With confidence they ‘d do wonderful this with the coaches ideas. Even if it is not going well,the opponent is hard to crack and penetrate still play confidently with the coaches ideas and instincts. Then boom we are there. We only need confidence to beat inter al go all the way this time. Forza Milan Gracias Paolo.
Mike
Calabria, Tomori,Thaw,Theo
RLC, Bennecer
Salemeakers, Pulisic, Leap
Morata/Jovic
Forza Milan ❤🖤❤🖤
So far we’ve seen the way he wants his team to play an dit looks good, his work ethic and motivation looks good, an dhis words he uses well. But starting tomorrow is where it all matters. Everything can look good on paper but now we have to see it competitively. I am so excited for tomorrow an di hope we hit the ground running and put in an awesome display.
Just know that we’re not going to be perfect for 90 minutes and we will probably suffer at times but as long as the foundations are there that we can improve on I’ll be happy, hoping for a successful season!
‘We have to let players go because we have so many, it’s not easy to work with so many players.’
Again, I like his straightforwardness.