Yahoo Sports Fonseca: ‘Milan only lacked a goal, faith in our strikers’
Paulo Fonseca insists ‘the only thing’ Milan lacked in the 0-0 draw with Genoa was a goal and defends their performance after jeers from the fans. ‘I have total faith in our strikers.’
The coach took a stand after his furious Champions League rant, dropping Theo Hernandez to start Milan Futuro teenage talents Mattia Liberali and Alex Jimenez.
However, his team was again sluggish and failed to light a spark at San Siro on a special night that had started with the 125th anniversary celebrations marking the club’s foundation in December 1899.
Fonseca defends under-fire Milan
“We had a good performance, created a lot, the players were hungry to win and played as a team, but the only thing we lacked was a goal,” Fonseca told DAZN.
“We spent a lot of time in the opposition penalty area, but lacked quality in the final ball. It was overall a good attitude, aggressive, recovering the ball early, I think we had 22 shots on goal, but none of them went in.
“Today, I saw the right level of determination, we wanted to win the game, were aggressive off the ball and got to their penalty area so many times. It’s not a matter of confidence, it’s choosing the final ball and the quality was lacking. That was the only thing we were missing this evening.”
Alvaro Morata was not expected to be fit enough to play, yet came on at half-time for Tammy Abraham and had the best chance of the game, firing it against the crossbar.
It has been said before that Milan lack a real centre-forward, so will Fonseca try to bring someone in during the January transfer window?
“I think we have good forwards. Abraham had a bruise and couldn’t play the second half, Alvaro did not train all week. Sometimes people talk about strikers, but we also lacked quality in the cross and the final ball. I have total faith in our strikers.”
Milan were jeered off the pitch at the final whistle, with insults chanted by the crowd towards the players and club directors.
“It’s normal for that to happen. We wanted to win for our fans, it’s natural after this result that they should be frustrated, but we felt they were behind the team,” insisted Fonseca.
“We can all recognise that the team gave its all to win, so I am unsatisfied with the result and not the performance.”
