Ruben Amorim has challenged Milan to compete for the Scudetto and win the Europa League in his first season as head coach, despite the scale of the rebuilding job facing the Rossoneri.
The Portuguese coach, speaking as reported by calciomercato.com, said Milan’s status meant expectations could not be reduced, even though he has inherited a squad undergoing significant change.
“I can’t come here and say that we can’t or don’t want to win the title,” Amorim said. “There’s a lot of work to do, with a new coach and changes to the squad, but when you’re at a club of Milan’s level, you have to aim for the title. So we’ll try.”
Amorim also made clear that Milan’s ambitions extend beyond domestic competition. He believes the club must approach the Europa League with the intention of lifting the trophy rather than simply progressing through the tournament.
“In the Europa League we have to believe and we have to want to win the competition.”
His comments underline the scale of the challenge at Milan, where the new manager is attempting to establish his methods while overseeing changes to the squad. However, Amorim also warned that the work required to produce a successful team would not be completed instantly.
He identified a return to the Champions League as a fundamental objective for the club, while accepting that building a side capable of meeting its ambitions would require patience.
“Everyone wants everything, immediately, but things done well take time,” he said. “My choice is to do the right things at the right moment.”
The manager pointed to Milan’s pre-season derby against Inter as evidence that his players are beginning to respond to his demands. He said the performance represented a step forward from the team’s earlier meeting with Celtic.
“I saw improvements compared to the Celtic game, and let’s not forget we were up against a side that has been together for years and won the league many times,” he said.
Amorim added that his players were “suffering physically” as they adjusted to the new style, highlighting the demands involved in changing the team’s approach.
Despite those difficulties, he expects further progress before the opening match of the season. Amorim said Milan would present a noticeably different identity by then, with a clearer understanding of how he wants them to play, although he accepted that the side would not yet be the finished article.
“we’ll be a different team, playing with a precise style”, even if still “far from perfection.”
