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Torino defender Saúl Coco has warned AC Milan that they are well up for the opening game of the season in just under two weeks. Milan played Torino in the Serie A curtain-raiser in 2024-25, drawing 2-2 thanks to a late comeback under Paulo Fonseca. For the second time in three seasons, the Rossoneri will take on the Granata to kick off the campaign once again. Read SempreMilan ad-free and get access to exclusive news. Click here for a free trial! It will be a new face in the Milan dugout as Ruben Amorim has taken over as the new head coach. Meanwhile, Torino will have someone very familiar on the opposite bench as Ignazio Abate is their manager, the former Diavolo defender who was also in charge of the Primavera. Coco spoke in an interview with La Gazzetta dello Sport about how Torino’s summer is going and what it has been like working under Ignazio Abate so far. His words have been relayed by MilanPress. “It’s been a summer filled with a lot of work: we’re on the right track. I want to be and am positive. The coach’s first request was to have an aggressive team. Certainly, at many moments, Torino will not defend deep but will try to find the opponent higher up the pitch,” he said. “This is something I really like, because it adds to the team’s personality. We’re a team that’s working hard and needs to improve a lot in our ability to understand the moment of the game: there are moments when you need to have the ball, others when you need to be more compact. “We also need to learn how to defend with the ball. Everyone thinks that defence is only when the opponent is dribbling, but instead, you can defend even when you have the ball. “We need to improve our ability to suffer in difficult moments and also our ability to play long periods of possession. That way, we can cause problems for everyone. “Abate? What struck me most was the energy he brought to the dressing room: as soon as he arrived, he tried to energise us, instilling so much energy. He has an incredible desire to do well. He’s also working hard on the psychological side, on always being positive, even in difficult moments. “He takes great care of his personal relationships: along with his entire staff, he’s a coach who is very close to the player.”