Milan coach Ruben Amorim says the club’s demanding run of fixtures is a greater concern than the current three-week international break, while admitting his side still has “many things” to improve.
The September break has been extended from the usual two weeks because the September and October international windows have been combined. Amorim, speaking to Sky Sport Italia, said Milan would use the extra time to work with their squad.
“It’s not a worry because we must adapt to what happens in our world, and there isn’t much we can do. There’s not much difference between two and three weeks,” he said.
“We have time to work with some players who need it and see others who might help us in the future. If there’s a real worry, it’s not about the three-week break, but rather the number of games we’ll play from now on. This worries me most, along with the intensity we’ll have to maintain.”
Amorim also identified Milan’s lack of threat in the final third as an area requiring attention. He said the responsibility could not be placed solely on Ramos or Camarda, insisting the whole team must contribute to creating more opportunities.
“I think we have to improve as a team to create more chances,” he said.
“It’s not just about Ramos and Camarda. I make no difference between the players. Age or minutes played aren’t important. If you look at the games, Ramos has already had interesting chances and is doing well with the national team too. In the last game against Denmark, he decided the game.
“My main worry is to create more chances for everyone: Pulisic, Camara, Cisse; it’s a team effort.”
Luka Modric is among the Milan players currently away with their national teams, and Amorim says the midfielder’s workload must be carefully managed.
“Luka is playing some games with Croatia and resting in others because it’s impossible for a player that age to play with that intensity every time. It will be similar with us. We have to be smart,” said the Portuguese coach.
He added that Modric’s attitude in training had been a major positive.
“The only thing I can say is that Luka is training like a kid, with desire and enthusiasm that please everyone. He loves football; he loves staying on the field, and this is fundamental to all of us. I’m really happy to have him in our group.”
Milan are unbeaten in Serie A after three wins and two draws, but began their Europa League campaign with defeat by Benfica. Asked whether the team remained some distance from his expectations, Amorim replied: “Many things are missing; I can say it without any problem.”
“We try to dominate the games consistently; we play well at times, but there’s still a lot of work to do,” he said.
Amorim rejected the description of the side as “Amorim’s Milan”, saying the club’s identity was bigger than any individual coach. He added that Milan needed time and continuity to develop a team capable of winning when performances were not perfect.
With five matches already played, he also stressed the importance of the substitutes and squad rotation, particularly when only two days separate fixtures.
“We can’t only focus on the starting XI,” Amorim said. “We must all be ready; that’s what we work on every day.”
