Fonseca: “Slow start, we were excellent after the second goal. Leao? He needs to understand and work”
AC Milan manager Paulo Fonseca spoke to Sky after his team's 3-1 victory over Club Brugge in the Champions League group stage.
AC Milan manager Paulo Fonseca spoke to Sky after his team’s 3-1 victory over Club Brugge in the Champions League group stage. The Portuguese coach addressed several aspects of the match, including the performance of young striker Francesco Camarda and the team’s overall display.
Fonseca began by praising Camarda’s performance, stating, “Very, very good.” When asked about the youngster’s disallowed goal, he expressed disappointment: “Very much so. He and the team had deserved this moment. It would have been a beautiful moment for a young player who deserves to be in the group and has worked hard to be here. He will score many goals in the future; this is just the beginning.”
Reflecting on the team’s slow start and improvement after conceding an equalizer, Fonseca said: “We played a game without intensity, too slow. Not good against a team defending deep. When Okafor and Chukwueze came on, the game changed and they brought energy. After the second goal, we did very good things, but before that, we lacked the intensity we should have.”
Addressing Rafael Leao’s substitution and subsequent team improvement, Fonseca clarified: “There’s no specific problem with Rafa, no punishment. I needed Okafor and Chuku. Rafa also needs to understand this and work to help the team like all players.”
On the team’s aggression while playing with a numerical advantage, Fonseca admitted: “Clearly, our focus was already there in 11 vs 11 and even more so with them down to 10. After the second goal, we applied higher pressure, but we need to be a more aggressive team overall.”
Discussing Chukwueze’s impact as a substitute, Fonseca explained: “We improved with Okafor and Chukwueze’s entry, but also when Pulisic played more centrally and not as a winger. There, he doesn’t have the prominence he has when playing inside. At that point, the team was excellent.”
When asked about potential lineup changes for the upcoming match against Bologna, Fonseca remained cautious: “Maybe. I haven’t studied Bologna yet. When I do, I’ll see how to approach them.”
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