ITALY – OCTOBER 18: AC Milan coach Ruben Amorim directs Adrien Rabiot during the Serie A clash with Atalanta at Stadio Giuseppe Meazza. (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images)
Amorim maintains that Milan’s late setbacks don’t negate the strides shown in their 3‑2 victory, and he disclosed a heated chat with Rabiot.
The Rossoneri surged to a 3‑0 lead, highlighted by a Gonçalo Ramos penalty saved by Marco Carnesecchi, while Ramos, Rabiot and Mario Gila all found the net.
Yet they nearly squandered it as Gianluca Gaetano and Nikola Krstović pulled Atalanta level to 3‑2, and only a desperate Mike Maignan stop on Davide Zappacosta averted an equaliser.
It marks a tempo shift, given Milan had managed just one first‑half goal until today.
ITALY – OCTOBER 18: Amorim reacts during the Serie A game between AC Milan and Atalanta at Stadio Giuseppe Meazza. (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images)
“The result matters most, but we must also dissect the display,” Amorim told DAZN Italia and Sky Sport Italia.
“I said after Sassuolo we were improving; the final minutes don’t alter that, they simply highlight the work ahead,” he added.
“Momentum flipped completely. Before Atalanta’s strike we were dictating play and nearer a fourth goal than conceding, but poor decisions in the build‑up gifted them chances, and we must tighten up,” he explained.
The comment follows a 4‑0 Europa League win away at RB Salzburg on Thursday, despite extensive squad rotation.
“Rotating the squad helped immensely; the players are grinding hard. Adjusting our press takes time, yet we’re learning when to press, especially in the right zones,” Amorim continued.
“It wasn’t just fatigue; the shift in momentum hit us. We feared conceding when we should have chased a fourth. Fresh midfielders helped, but tension rippled through the squad and the fans,” he said.
Rabiot told Sky Sport Italia he was angry about the second‑half showing and warned Milan must extract more from the bench.
A tense exchange on the touchline occurred just before the goal, as Rabiot, booked for dissent, looked irritable. Did Amorim think about pulling him off?
“Rabiot is crucial. After half‑time we spoke, and he knows a yellow limits his challenges. He was too vital to replace, but another foul would have forced a change. That didn’t happen today,” Amorim explained.
The side shows clear progress since the season’s start, adapting to a hybrid three‑back system with wide players dropping deep for extra cover. For my money, this flexibility could be Milan’s edge. Amorim expressed concern over Milan’s momentum. Can the side sustain its rise into next season?