Milan coach RubenAmorim expressed his frustration at the press conference over the series of injuries that have hit the team ahead of the Madonnina derby. In his interview, the coach explained how the management of the group, decided in the summer, was put to the test by the loss of key players, and admitted that he might regret not having had a larger squad.
Amorim began by recalling the difficulties that came with players like Saelemaekers, Chukwueze and Moreira. According to the coach, the combination of injuries forced the club to resort to improvised solutions: Moreira was overloaded with minutes, Tomori was moved to a different position and had to deal with a higher than usual sprint load. “We cannot afford to lose any more players,” he said, underlining that the choice to field Tomori was motivated by a tactical necessity for the match against Bologna.
The coach then analyzed the difficulties of managing a "reduced" squad when three players for the same position get injured at the same time. He highlighted how, in theory, a roster of forty-eight players could mitigate the problem, but that financial realities and the need to maintain a balance of minutes make this an impractical option. “If I could go back, maybe I would like a few more players,” he admitted, but reiterated that the decisions made at the start of the season were based on rational logic.
Amorim concluded that although the current situation seems “short,” the logic behind the choices remains consistent. He cited the example of three games in a few days leading to six or seven starters out of action, a circumstance which he said could not be controlled. “When it happens, you think about it, but these are things you can't control,” he said, highlighting the difficulty of managing injuries that get out of control.
With the Madonnina derby imminent, Milan will have to deal with a leaner squad and the need to optimize rotations. Amorim has hinted that, while acknowledging the limitations, he will continue to look for solutions to maintain the club's competitiveness in Serie A.