Ruben Amorim: Milan's Freedom, Avoiding Manchester United's Mistakes

Ruben Amorim recognized that he granted Milan "more freedom" during their 3-0 victory over Lecce. He stated he "cannot make the same mistakes as Manchester United," referring to an overemphasis on rigid systems.

Following consecutive Serie A draws against Juventus and Lazio, and a disappointing 2-0 Europa League home loss to Benfica, Amorim felt the pressure. This led to tactical adjustments, including building play from the back with four defenders instead of three, and positioning Mario Gila slightly wider.

A significant change was the first start for Christian Pulisic, who immediately opened the scoring with his first goal of 2026 for the club. Adrien Rabiot and Diego Moreira added to the tally in the second half, securing a comfortable 3-0 win against Lecce.

Amorim's Milan Learned from Manchester United's Errors

"I believe we improved significantly," Amorim shared with DAZN Italia. "The players had more freedom, better movement, particularly with runs in behind. We are no longer just a team that possesses the ball; we are a dangerous team. We have space to exploit, which is positive. We controlled the match, understood that the opposition was anticipating our errors, but we defended well and earned the victory."

Amorim was presented with a statistic: the last Milan coach to achieve 11 points in his first five Serie A games (assuming three points for a win) was Nils Liedholm in 1963. He smiled, acknowledging the stat but noting, "This is a different era."

"We still have much to accomplish, but we are progressing and learning. We faced challenges in recent matches because the structure was too rigid in positions. With slightly more freedom for the players, they performed better."

When asked about the source of this increased freedom – whether players requested tactical changes – Amorim explained, "It's an observation of the matches and the players' characteristics. Naturally, I listen to the players, but a manager, especially at a major club, is always attuned to their team. Every player wants to push the game towards their strengths, and maintaining an identity under such circumstances is difficult."

"The decision is always mine. What I experienced in recent games is what I also observed at Manchester United, and I cannot repeat that mistake. At times, we lack the ideal characteristics for a specific approach, and if we don't have them, we must adapt."

"I think today's approach was effective. In other games, we might revert to building with three at the back. The key is having diverse playing styles. This is particularly crucial in Italy, where coaches are exceptionally astute. They excel at man-marking, and when they lose track of our intentions, it becomes harder for them to comprehend our movement, just as they make it challenging for me to understand their teams."

There has been considerable discussion regarding Luka Modric's role, who returned to the starting lineup after being substituted at halftime against Lazio and benched against Benfica.

"He performs best when we have sustained possession. However, he is prepared to play in every game where he is needed. In certain matches, like the first half against Lazio, if the game focuses solely on transitions, it's not ideal for Luka, nor for Ardon Jashari," Amorim clarified. "We must consider our available characteristics. When facing teams employing low blocks, we can effectively utilize Modric. We will assess future situations, but he is ready for any type of match."

Milan heads into the international break with 11 points from five rounds, trailing leaders Roma, Inter, and Lazio by two points.

"Looking at our performance, Roma and Inter have had more time together as teams; you can see their established patterns. We haven't lost excessive points; we dropped two against Lazio and away to Juventus. So, not everything is negative."

"Sometimes it may appear that way, especially after recent results, but we must consider the overall picture. We secured a win today against a capable team performing well. However, it's a different squad, and we will encounter issues. This is a process. I believe we should have more points. Against Juventus, we weren't playing particularly well but were just 30 seconds away from a win."

"Even against Lazio, considering the balance of the game, I felt we deserved a bit more."

While there were occasional glimpses of the style the Portuguese coach envisioned, this marked the team's first truly impressive performance, featuring approximately 70 percent possession.

It was also Milan's first goal scored in the first half of the season, indicating a more focused initial approach.