Amorim: Milan Were Tired from Minute 1, I’m Not Here to Defend Myself After Bologna Defeat

FolioPitch.com – 29 October 2026 | AC Milan coach Ruben Amorim has admitted his team looked exhausted from the opening whistle in their 4-2 home defeat to Bologna, but the Portuguese manager refused to hide behind injuries or fatigue, declaring: “Amorim Milan were tired from minute 1 I m not here to defend myself.” The Rossoneri suffered their first Serie A loss of the season on Wednesday night at the Stadio Giuseppe Meazza, despite fighting back from an early deficit to lead 2-1 at half-time through a brace from Alphadjo Cisse. Bologna, however, produced a stunning second-half display, scoring three times to secure a second consecutive victory and leave Milan’s title credentials under scrutiny.

Speaking to DAZN at full-time, Amorim cut a frustrated figure as he dissected a performance that he felt was undermined by a lack of energy rather than a lack of effort. “Many games, many players out. It was hard for us,” he said. “I felt from the first minute that the team was a little bit tired and without much energy. We conceded two goals quickly; we tried to come back, and we had a great opportunity with Camarda. This amount of games was hard for us.” Milan were without eight players for the match, including regular starters Mario Gila, Samuel Chukwueze and Adrien Rabiot, as well as summer signing Diego Moreira, leaving Amorim with limited rotation options.

When asked whether any of those absentees could return for next Saturday’s derby against Inter, Amorim remained cautious. “We need to look at the context; it’s not like the game has no context,” he said. “I don’t know how many players I’ll have. We’ll see tomorrow, see the players, and in two days we’ll prepare for the game. We are concerned about everything, but we’re focusing on how many players we’ll have.” The injury crisis has clearly stretched a squad that was already adapting to Amorim’s methods, and the coach was quick to point out that the situation is not simply about missing individuals. “It’s not just that. I didn’t say we lost because of injuries. I said lack of energy because we can’t make the same rotation,” he explained. “It’s hard for us to press all the time; when we stop playing our game, we suffer.”

A pundit in the studio pressed Amorim on Milan’s persistent inconsistency, prompting a firm response from the coach. “A new manager can’t make the team play different football in a few months. That is something you should understand; I think you understand,” he said. “If you look at the game, we started suffering a goal, and we turned things around. Of course, from the first minute, we felt we didn’t have the energy to play that game, and then, when you talk about mistakes in the studio, it’s not just a tactical aspect. It’s also because we are so tired at times, but that’s not an excuse. Don’t worry. We must be ready for the derby; I’m just showing the facts.”

The defeat leaves Milan with plenty to ponder ahead of the derby, but Amorim insisted his focus is on finding solutions with the players available. “We are going to prepare for the game with the time we have and the solutions we have. We have the responsibility to fight to win,” he said. “We are going to be a very good team. Sometimes we lose, sometimes we win, but in the future we’ll be a very strong team. I believe in it, and when we have all the players, we’ll be ready to fight in every game. No excuses; we need to try to win the game. I don’t want to defend myself. Every time we have a bad result, it seems like I need to be here. You guys in the studio can say whatever you want; the truth is that we lost 4-2 at home. The context doesn’t matter; we are a club like Milan, and we can’t allow it to happen. We’ll try to win the next game.”

Amorim’s repeated insistence that “Amorim Milan were tired from minute 1 I m not here to defend myself” underlined his determination to shoulder responsibility rather than seek sympathy. The coach also highlighted the fine margins in the match, noting that Milan had chances to extend their lead before Bologna’s second-half onslaught. “We had a great opportunity with Camarda,” he said, referring to the young striker’s missed chance that could have made it 3-1. Instead, Bologna capitalised on Milan’s fatigue, with Samuel Mbangula scoring a hat-trick to seal a memorable win for the visitors.

The result leaves Milan nursing their first league defeat of the campaign and facing a crucial derby against Inter with a depleted squad. Amorim’s message, however, was clear: there will be no excuses. “We are a club like Milan, and we can’t allow it to happen,” he said. “We’ll try to win the next game.” For now, the focus shifts to recovery and preparation, with the coach hoping to welcome back some of his injured players in time for the derby. But regardless of who is available, Amorim has made it clear that the standards at Milan demand more, and he is not interested in defending himself—only in finding a way to win.

As the Rossoneri regroup, the pressure is mounting on Amorim to deliver results, starting with the derby. The coach’s honesty about his team’s fatigue is admirable, but ultimately, football is judged on outcomes. Milan’s season is far from over, but the coming weeks will be a test of character for both the manager and his players. If Amorim can navigate this difficult period and get his key men back, the Rossoneri still have the quality to compete at the top. For now, though, the message is simple: no excuses, just hard work and a determination to improve.