Capello impressed by Amorim's Serie A debut: "Fits well with the Milan sides of old"
SempreMilan · Oliver Fisher · 2026-08-25T11:37:06+00:00 · nguồn gốc
Fabio Capello likes what he saw from Ruben Amorim’s AC Milan in their first game, calling it a style in line with the ‘tradition’ of the club.
La Gazzetta dello Sport recall the exchange on Sky between Amorim and Capello after the game on Sunday night. The current coach reminded his predecessor of when he inherited the bench from a certain Arrigo Sacchi, later contradicting his initial skepticism with the results.
“He showed up very well prepared and spoke with full knowledge of the facts,” Capello agreed. Moreover, Amorim has stated several times that he has been a lifelong AC Milan fan and knows their history.
That’s precisely how he explained his excitement in celebrating Cisse’s goal. “I’m very pleased that the news of our victories has reached Portugal too. It means we’ve achieved something important,” Don Fabio continued.
In an interview with the newspaper, Capello elaborated a bit more on what he liked from the victory in Turin, and the obvious areas that can be improved upon as the days and weeks go by.
Does managing the team you support change much?
“On a professional level, of course not. However, if we look at emotions, it’s clear that you feel a different kind of joy when you win, and the satisfaction is doubled. Plus, the pride of coaching the club you support is definitely important.”
You said Amorim is very knowledgeable about the Milan of his era. He certainly hopes to replicate your successes…
“I wish him the same, even though our starting situations are very different. I arrived at a Milan side coming off a poor season, but full of confidence.
“The team had a clear identity, shaped by years of success and maintained by extraordinary players. Amorim, on the other hand, will have to give his Milan a certain identity, and that will take some time.”
In Turin, however, we’ve already seen something…
“Undoubtedly. And I didn’t expect it so soon, to be honest, also because the friendlies had me a bit worried. Especially the one against Chelsea, where the English side’s pace had the Rossoneri on the ropes. Amorim has his own take on football, which fits well with the Milan sides of old.
“In Sunday’s match, you could see that desire to press high up, and I liked the personality the team showed on the pitch. In the first half, we lacked a bit of quality, but then when Modric and Rabiot came off the bench, everything became easier.”
Did Rabiot as the attacking midfielder make the difference?
“Playing further forward, he can be more dangerous and decisive, but my main concern was who would fill his midfield spot. Instead, Musah was more organised than usual. That’s a good sign; he’ll probably integrate better into Amorim’s system.”
And then there’s the Cisse surprise…
“I didn’t know him, I admit. He scored a beautiful goal and showed some interesting things. I’m very happy that they immediately placed their trust in a young Italian, something that rarely happens in Serie A. And here I have to say, well done Amorim.”
The Portuguese coach celebrated his first victory. How important is it for a new manager to get off to a good start?
“A lot. If Milan is a revolution, as the players themselves say, starting strong is essential because it boosts the team’s confidence. Doing it away from home is even better.”
What does Milan need to improve on?
“I want to see him play the same way against opponents who have different pressure levels. I mentioned Chelsea earlier for a reason. It’s also true that few teams in Italy play with that kind of aggression.”
You also asked Amorim about the defensive phase on Sunday evening…
“Yes, because we saw so many good and new things, but one flaw from last year remains: when Milan has to defend in the box, they still don’t have the attention of the big teams.
“In fact, they conceded goals from set pieces and in the final quarter of an hour, when they dropped back, they conceded three or four chances to Torino.”