In his post-match interview with Sky Sport, AC Milan’s new manager Paulo Fonseca provided a candid assessment of his team’s performance in their Serie A opener against Torino at San Siro.
Addressing the slow start, Fonseca admitted, “I didn’t expect us to be perfect now, but I must say that in the first 45 minutes we were passive, without intensity. Then we became more aggressive up front, having enough opportunities to win the game. We must continue to work, there’s a lot to improve.”
The Portuguese coach praised the impact of his substitutes but highlighted the need for improved fitness: “We have a week to physically improve these players. It was impossible to start them from the beginning, but when they came on, they did well. Now we need to make them quickly regain their physical form.”
When questioned about defensive difficulties, Fonseca emphasized a collective responsibility: “I think it’s a collective problem, not a problem of defenders, but collective. The team needs to improve defensively, it’s a bit passive while I want it to be more aggressive in recovering the ball. We left time and space for Torino to play the first phase calmly.”
Fonseca also commented on Rafael Leao’s performance, noting both positives and areas for improvement: “Rafa today was defensively a different player. He worked well defensively. Afterwards, a player like him must always be close to the goal, he must be more dynamic, active.”
