Amorim did not try to soften the assessment.

“We didn’t deserve to win, if we are honest, or more like Juventus didn’t deserve to lose,” the Milan head coach said after the draw in Turin on Sunday.

Alphadjo Cisse had put the visitors ahead midway through the second half, cutting inside Manuel Locatelli after a driving run from substitute Samuel Chukwueze and bending a right-footed finish into the far corner. Federico Gatti headed home a Teun Koopmeiners free-kick delivery in the 92nd minute to spare Juventus a defeat their pressure had probably warranted.

Fundamentals in the firing line

Amorim’s diagnosis focused on possession rather than the late lapse in concentration.

Read also: Roy Keane gives Manchester City stars brutal message over medals after guilty verdict

“We tried to play our game, we were not good with the ball,” he said.

“We have individual quality, but the simple things are the most important things, the way we receive and pass the ball, the fundamentals of football, today we were not good.”

He said the pattern only got worse once Milan gave the ball away.

“My feeling is when my team doesn’t have the ball, we struggle. If we want to keep the ball, we need to move more and be braver.”

Read also: Where Erling Haaland could end up if he leaves Man City

Asking for time

The Portuguese head coach asked for patience with a squad he described as still finding its identity.

“We need to do better, but we need time, it was a tough game for us.”

“Today was not the perfect day, but sometimes I want too much, and we were so close to winning this game.”

The draw ended the perfect starts of both clubs, who had opened the season with back-to-back wins, and dropped Milan to fourth place in Serie A.

Read also: Javier Tebas breaks silence on what should happen to Man City next

Read also: Messi admitted he targeted one World Cup rival on purpose