FONSECA: "IMPORTANT MATCH BUT NOT DECISIVE"

The third Champions League fixture of the season, back at San Siro. A press conference was held on the eve of AC Milan v Club Brugge, as the match was introduced by Coach Fonseca and Reijnders from Milanello. Here are their words:

PAULO FONSECA

HEAD FOCUSSED ON EUROPE
"The Champions League is a different competition. We started by facing two of the strongest teams in Europe, we struggled against Liverpool, but I saw quality against Leverkusen; we played a great game, especially in the second half. We want to keep growing and advancing in this competition and to do that, we have to win tomorrow. I’m not thinking too far ahead, we haven’t won the first two games, so we need to focus on the next one without making any calculations".

AHEAD OF AC MILAN v CLUB BRUGGE
"It's not a decisive match, but it's important. We want and need to win. Club Brugge is a good team, they play very well. They have great attacking quality, as well as on the wings and in midfield at an individual level. Even in their recent loss against Dortmund, they created many chances. It will be crucial to defend well and stay focused".

THE LINEUP
"Tomorrow, Maignan, Emerson Royal, Gabbia, Tomori, Theo Hernández, Fofana, Loftus-Cheek, Reijnders, Leão, Pulisic, and Morata will play".

TEAM GROWTH
"We're making a lot of changes, and little by little we're starting to grasp key concepts for the team. In the first 30 minutes against Udinese, we played very well, but Tijji's red card changed the game. However, we reacted positively, showing the right attitude and team spirit. In the future, this mentality needs to become the norm, we must always play with this spirit. The team is in good shape and full of confidence".

POSITIVE RESPONSE
"At this stage, it's important to rotate the players. We have many matches ahead, and we need everyone. Okafor and Chukwueze have great quality and need confidence. They performed well against Udinese. Having players of this calibre available is crucial for a coach. Everyone has worked hard, even those who came off the bench. I believe in all the players".

INDIVIDUALS AND OPTIONS
"I expect the same from Leão and Theo Hernández as I do from everyone. They need to give their all to ensure AC Milan wins. Theo has trained well and has great experience. I'm very satisfied with the players at my disposal. Having Abraham and Jović out isn't ideal, but we'll have Camarda with us tomorrow. We don't need new players in this position. Gabbia trained today and will be available tomorrow. Pavlović has shown both positives and things to improve defensively. It's not easy for him because we play differently than he's used to. He needs to be more balanced, and he was against Udinese. Seeing Reijnders always close to Fofana doesn't bring out his best qualities, but in the current setup, he has the flexibility to play multiple roles".

FOCUS AND ATTITUDE
"We need to be more 'devils' than 'saints.' We must play football, and fouls are part of a team's intelligence. We've talked about it, and it's another area where we need to improve. As a coach, I need to figure out what to do to improve the team's attitude and desire. I have higher expectations in this regard. The team was used to defending individually, and it wasn't easy to change that mentality. Now, we're more compact".

TIJJANI REIJNDERS

FROM UDINESE TO CLUB BRUGGE
"It's very important for me to be decisive as a midfielder. In this role, my teammates and I are the engine of the team. We played well against Udinese, and we’ll need to do the same tomorrow. We can't afford to give away chances like the one that led to my red card. I need to be more careful, along with the rest of the team".

ROLE AND AMBITION
"I’m a box-to-box player, I can move from one penalty area to the other, and I’ve played in all midfield positions. The 'number 8' role is ideal for me, but that doesn’t mean I can’t play in other roles. It’s up to the coach to decide. I want to contribute with assists and goals, and I aim to win trophies and titles every season".

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