2 giorni fa
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The coach spoke at a press conference alongside Saelemaekers ahead of the derby against Inter in Australia.
Ruben Amorim used the pre-derby press conference to pay tribute to Franco Baresi. Before discussing tomorrow's clash with Inter, the Milan coach addressed the passing of the former captain, a loss that has shaken the entire Rossoneri club. 'First and foremost, our condolences go out to Baresi's family, his friends, and all the teammates he had throughout his career,' Amorim began. 'I believe I'm the last person who should be speaking about Baresi, as I've only been here for two minutes, but I can explain a little about the feeling within our staff. Firstly, nobody calls Baresi "Baresi"; he's Franco, and that means something. When you talk about him with all the communication staff, they have tears in their eyes. When we go for dinner, Michele, our chef (Persechini, ed.), keeps showing me photos of himself and Mr. Baresi together and telling me so many stories. I've spoken to many people about Franco, and nobody talks about the Champions Leagues or the scudetti he won. Everyone says one thing: "When we went down to Serie B, he didn't abandon us." And that is special. Now that he is no longer with us, he is teaching us that success is indeed a wonderful thing, but it's important for our ego. The fundamental thing, in the end, is character and who you are, not what you have achieved. Franco was all about the team. All about the team. That is his legacy... I don't know what will happen in the future in terms of results. I cannot control that or promise anything. But one thing I can promise: the team is the most important thing at our club, and we will carry on Franco's legacy. The team, until my last day here, will be the most important thing at our club. We are not at his funeral today because we are here, but we too feel the sadness throughout our club. Our leader, Mr. Cardinale, is there, and so are the people from Milan. And if you could ask Franco today whether we should have interrupted our preparations to go to his funeral, I think I can guarantee he would have preferred us to continue doing our job, to defend the club.'
RAFA HAPPY AND LUKA...
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Turning to the match, with Leao set to feature, Amorim stated: 'I have the feeling that all the players are working really well, both those who started from day one and those who arrived later. Rafa is fortunate to be at a club like Milan, so he should be happy. I feel he is happy and motivated. I don't know what will happen between now and the end of the transfer window, but I feel the group is truly united. The important thing is to continue with this spirit when things get difficult. At this club, you have to win every match, and for that, we must maintain the right spirit throughout the season. Therefore, I haven't felt or seen any difference in Leao compared to the other lads. I feel everyone is preparing to start a very difficult season. Modrić? He will also play tomorrow. Everyone will play a part in the derby. We don't have much time to train, and with two matches so close together, we have to train by playing. We will try to manage the workload. Luka is truly humble and doesn't like all the attention he receives. He has enormous experience, and I will treat him like a normal player. He will have to fight for his place, but of course, he is a special player. We did a lot to have him with us for at least another season. I am really happy with him.'
TRANSFER MARKET? I'M HAPPY AS WE ARE
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Regarding the transfer market, Amorim stated: 'I am really happy with the squad I have. We are building our playing philosophy. We also have an idea for the transfer market. Sometimes it's possible to achieve it, sometimes not. But the most important thing, as I said in the press conference and I repeat it now, is this: if we were to start the season with this squad, I believe we would be competitive in every match and could win every match.' Amorim then demonstrated his deep Milanismo: 'Who should the Australians support? I have a clear answer in mind: Milan. I understand that if you only look at recent years, Inter has won more than us. But Milan is Milan. And for that reason, I will always say Milan. Because Milan isn't just about trophies. Milan represents something you cannot buy. Do you understand? For me, ever since I was a child, it has always been Milan. So open YouTube, watch the videos, and you will understand why I would always choose Milan.' On the derby, he added: 'We want to do well, but being pre-season champions isn't important. The only thing that truly matters is when the referee blows the whistle for the start of the match in Turin on 23rd August. Against Inter, we want to win, but we also want to prepare for that match against Torino. Our preparation is fundamental because it helps us to play in a certain way: winning is what we want, but doing so by playing very badly would not inspire confidence. My goal is to put these lads in the best conditions to show their talent.'
This article was originally written in Italian by La Gazzetta dello Sport editor. The English version has been generated using AI translation tools. If you notice any translation errors or have suggestions, please contact us at iniziativegazzetta@rcs.it
