Paulo Fonseca hopes the 4-0 victory over Venezia can give Milan ‘confidence’ and recover lost ground, but admits the derby with Inter is already distracting them from Liverpool.
The pressure was piling on the coach already after just two points from the opening three games, so the team was greeted at San Siro this evening by fans warning they were on their last chance.
It took 89 seconds to break through Venezia with Theo Hernandez on a cheeky Rafael Leao assist, then Youssouf Fofana – with a goal initially credited to Matteo Gabbia – and a pair of penalties converted by Christian Pulisic and Tammy Abraham.
Inevitably, the opening questions were about the return of Theo Hernandez and Rafael Leao to the starting XI after they were initially dropped against Lazio.
“We need to deal with everything in a balanced fashion. My choices are always thinking about what is best for the team. So if I chose not to start Rafa and Theo, as I did against Lazio, they accept it,” Fonseca told Sky Sport Italia.
“They are very important players and proved today just how important they are for us, but in families you do not always agree on everything, the important thing is to focus on what is best for everyone.”
Fonseca warns Milan lost ground
It remains to be seen if this was the start of a new era or a confidence-booster caused by a Venezia side in shocking form.
“Our season already started four rounds ago, we dropped points and need to recover lost ground, but it was important to win and to win like this. It gives the players confidence to keep growing,” added Fonseca.
“We can talk about tactics and technique, but energy and attitude are very important for a team that wants to play this type of football. The work done on the pitch was important, but so was studying videos, having conversations in the locker room, it was all important.”
The Champions League kicks off next week and Milan start with a huge fixture against Liverpool on Tuesday September 17, followed by the Derby della Madonnina with rivals Inter on Sunday September 22.
The Rossoneri have had a disastrous record against their cousins Inter in recent years and that has become something of a complex for the fans.
“I have to be honest, I already started thinking about both games against Liverpool and Inter. I realise the importance of the derby, Liverpool will be very difficult, but I cannot deny I have already started studying Inter too.
“I know what it means to the fans, we are working to have good performances in both matches.”
Fonseca returned to Italy after a previous experience at Roma, having also worked in Portugal, Ukraine and France, but he insists Italian football has its own unique flavour.
That was made pretty evident by the fan protest before kick-off, with banners warning this was the ‘last chance’ to turn things around in Week 4.
“It makes a very big difference! Serie A is completely different to everywhere else. I think as a coach that I have to deal with these situations with balance, stay focused on my work and ignore everything around us,” concluded Fonseca.
“I couldn’t say if there was more pressure at Roma than Milan, but Milan is a club that always has the pressure to win. If we coaches don’t want this pressure, then we shouldn’t be coaches.”
