Amorim evokes spirit of Baresi as he bids revive AC Milan fortunes
New AC Milan coach Ruben Amorim vowed on Tuesday to honour the legacy of club legend Franco Baresi, who died last week, as he sets about reviving the fortunes of the ailing Italian giants. The match will be an emotional first match for AC Milan since the death of Baresi, who captained the club during a golden era in the 1980s and 1990s.
AC Milan's newly appointed coach Ruben Amorim pledged to pay homage to the legacy of club legend Franco Baresi, who passed away recently, as he aims to rejuvenate the struggling Italian giants. The Portuguese coach, who returns to coaching after a January sacking by Manchester United, will lead AC Milan in their Western Australia city derby against Inter Milan on Wednesday.
Amorim's first game with the club ended in a 2-2 draw during a friendly against Celtic in Glasgow last month. His primary objective is a top-four finish in Serie A following last season's failure to secure a Champions League spot. Amorim expressed his confidence in the team's cohesion, stating, "The important thing is to continue with this spirit when things become difficult."
The coach emphasized that winning every game is crucial in AC Milan, with Luka Modric, who recently signed a one-year contract extension, set to play against Inter. Modric, who will be 41 in September, will be included in the match following his participation in Croatia's World Cup campaign last year. The game will be an emotional occasion, as Baresi, the club's captain during the 1980s and 1990s golden era, was recently laid to rest.
Amorim acknowledged the emotional impact on the staff, saying, "When you talk with all the staff about Franco, you see the tears in their eyes." He vowed to uphold Baresi's team-centric philosophy and minimize promises of results, stating, "I will not promise results, but I can promise that I will continue the legacy of Franco."
AC Milan will continue their pre-season preparations against Chelsea in Jakarta on Saturday, while Inter Milan remains in Perth to face Juventus on the same day. The week-long "Calcio Italiano" series in Perth, featuring other Serie A teams and Serie B Palermo, aims to boost Italian football's presence in Western Australia after a proposed AC Milan-Como match was cancelled due to AFC sanctions.
Inter Milan's manager Cristian Chivu supported the idea, suggesting hosting a Serie A match in Perth at the beginning of the season to promote Italian football further.
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