Amorim says Milan must improve pressure and attacking control ahead of Ferencvarosi

Ruben Amorim says Milan must become better at pinning opponents back in their own penalty area and keeping possession in advanced positions to create more chances.

Milan host Ferencvarosi on Thursday in their fourth Europa League match, with Amorim acknowledging that his side still have significant room for improvement despite showing a clear playing identity.

“You always ask when we will reach the top, but even if we won every match, we would never feel that we had arrived,” the Portuguese manager said at his pre-match news conference. “We have to keep improving.”

Amorim said Milan’s approach was based on controlling matches and playing positively, although the team’s formation and defensive methods could change depending on the opposition.

“We already have a clear identity and we want to control games,” he said. “Sometimes we manage that and sometimes we do not, but in most matches we try to be very positive. We may change the way we play or defend, but our identity is built around positivity and control.”

However, he identified Milan’s inability to sustain pressure in the final third as their main weakness.

“We clearly lack the ability to push opponents into areas close to their own goal and keep the ball there to create more chances,” Amorim said. “That is our biggest problem.”

He also called for greater consistency throughout matches. Milan have improved their control and are producing strong performances for longer periods, but Amorim believes they must maintain that level more effectively, particularly in attack.

“We also need more consistency during games,” he added. “I think we are developing in that area, performing better for longer and controlling matches more, but there is still a lot of work to do, especially in the attacking third. We are not managing to get the ball into that area and stay there for long enough.”

Milan are fifth in the Serie A table after losing only once in their opening 10 matches. Their European campaign has been less convincing, with one victory and two defeats from their first three games.

The team regained some confidence with their latest win over Inter in the Milan derby, although Amorim stressed that the result did not remove the need for further progress.

“We need time to work on this, and I also have to help the players perform better in these situations,” he said.

Amorim added that Milan had to adjust their mindset at times when dealing with opponents. He praised their defending against Inter, both with and without the ball, and said they had shown greater aggression after recognising the danger posed by particular situations, including Federico Dimarco’s crosses.

“We need to show the same thing against Ferencvarosi,” he said.

Milan have two matches remaining before the international break. They face Ferencvarosi on Thursday in the Europa League before travelling to Genoa on Sunday, 8 November, in Serie A.