No more hiding: Amorim openly declares Milan's European ambition on the eve of Benfica clash
Rúben Amorim is done with diplomacy: on the eve of Milan's European debut, the Portuguese coach has put a trophy-sized target on his own back.
Details: Rúben Amorim has declared that AC Milan's goal is to win the Europa League. We want to win the Europa League. It's our goal, the Rossoneri coach said, as quoted by Nicolò Schira. Milan open their European campaign tomorrow, hosting Benfica at San Siro in the first round of the league phase.
The words are bold, but the start justifies them. Amorim, who took over from Massimiliano Allegri in June after his ill-fated spell at Manchester United ended in January, has transformed Milan's mood in weeks: he became the first Rossoneri coach since 2014 to win his first two Serie A matches in charge, beating Torino away and Venezia at home, and his side remains unbeaten through the opening rounds, sitting fifth in the table. The 41-year-old has already set twin targets for the season, the Scudetto and the Europa League, and tomorrow's visitor adds spice to the statement: Benfica, a club from Amorim's native Portugal, arrive at San Siro having never beaten Milan in official European competition, with four defeats and two draws in the history of the fixture. Veterans like Luka Modrić and a retooled squad give Amorim a platform few debutant Milan coaches have enjoyed, and the San Siro crowd, starved of European glory since 2007, will expect the words to be backed up immediately.
It's worth noting that Milan have never won the UEFA Cup or Europa League in their history, making this trophy the only major European title missing from the club's museum.
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Miguel Solomons
Dailysports's expert
