The Ferencvaros loss at San Siro on Thursday pushed Milan’s Europa League league-phase campaign close to collapse, and the manager did not wait long to respond.
According to Corriere della Sera, as reported by MilanReports, Amorim used stronger language at Milan’s training base on Friday than at any point since taking charge in the summer, telling his players they had lacked the “right ambition, concentration, desire” in several matches this season. After other defeats he had publicly defended them; this time he did not.
The Portuguese had already gone public the night before.
“When you play with the Milan jersey, you have a responsibility, and you cannot turn up like this,” Amorim told reporters after the final whistle, warning that Milan had to improve “otherwise it’s over”.
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Joseph brace sinks the Rossoneri
Lenny Joseph scored both goals in the second half. The Ferencvaros forward struck in the 52nd and 66th minutes at San Siro, according to the official Milan match report, the opener coming after a Lorenzo Torriani error. Substitute Bamidele Yusuf was sent off for the Hungarian side in the 77th minute, but the lead held.
It was Milan’s third defeat in four Europa League league-phase games. They sit on three points after matchday four and the knockout places look a long way off.
A week earlier, Milan had beaten Inter in the Derby della Madonnina. The Ferencvaros loss erased that lift inside 90 minutes.
€100m hanging on the recovery
Gazzetta dello Sport, via MilanReports, puts Milan’s potential losses above €100m if they are knocked out of the Europa League early and miss the Champions League for a third straight year.
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Of around €14.6m already banked from the Europa League so far this season, an early exit alone would cost about €8m in UEFA payments and gate receipts. A run to the final could still be worth around €40m and would reopen the route back to the Champions League next season.
Genoa away on Sunday
Amorim’s side travels to Luigi Ferraris on Sunday, 8 November. Kick-off against Genoa is at 3pm local time.
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