"I was not called only to win matches, even if that is what people want, but also to guarantee a future for Milan by playing young players and giving them the right opportunities," Ruben Amorim told Sky Sport Italia, in comments translated from Italian, after AC Milan's 2-0 win away to Udinese. It was an unusually broad message after Udinese vs AC Milan, especially coming straight after Milan's 3-0 Europa League defeat away to Bournemouth.

Amorim was not treating this as a one-off explanation for team selection. He was using a good result to defend a bigger idea about what Milan should be doing in a season already shaped by injuries and constant changes.

Milan's argument after the Udinese win

The result itself was straightforward enough. Milan won 2-0 away from home, Christian Pulišić opened the scoring within six minutes and Omari Hutchinson added his first goal for the club.

What Amorim wanted to talk about afterwards went well beyond the scoreline. Speaking to football-italia.net, he said: "Everyone needs to be prepared. My job is not just to prepare to win the next game, that is what people want, but my job is also to help Milan in the future. For that, they need to play, they need to have the opportunity and feel that they are important."

That stance has some substance behind it. Milan are unbeaten in Serie A after 8 matches, with 5 wins and 3 draws, and the victory moved them to 18 points. Some source copy had them in third, but the verified table places them fourth after eight league games, which is still a strong domestic platform given the churn around the squad.

This is where Amorim's point carries weight. A manager talking about the future after a bad result can sound like cover. Saying it after a league win, and after a European defeat that had already raised the temperature, feels more like a line he is prepared to stick to.

The injury pressure and the youngsters involved

Amorim also tied the policy directly to availability. Speaking to football-italia.net, he said: "They need to work really hard, we have a lot of injuries today, and they showed they are ready to cope with the pressure of playing for this club. That’s also why I am really happy and proud, because when we are on the field, it is my responsibility."

Milan's absentee list included Adrien Rabiot, Diego Moreira, Mario Gila, Samuel Chukwueze, Matteo Gabbia, Alexis Saelemaekers and Pietro Terracciano. Amorim summed up the wider issue bluntly: "If you see the schedule in Europe, it’s impossible, because every game there’s a new muscular injury."

That context helps explain the selections. 2006-born Diawara made his debut as a starter at left-back, while Davide Bartesaghi was used in a more advanced role. Amorim liked parts of what he saw from Bartesaghi, but he was also clear about the work still to do.

He told football-italia.net: "Bartesaghi did really well today, I think he is better offensively than defensively, he is an Italian boy, and if you see Bartesaghi I think he needs to improve his defensive side, be more aggressive in one against one."

That is a fair reading of the role rather than a blanket endorsement. Bartesaghi still finished with 6 tackles and won 11 of 19 duels, which suggests he handled a demanding assignment reasonably well even if Amorim does not see the defensive side as complete yet.

What the result actually changes

Milan's domestic run now looks steadier than the Bournemouth defeat did in isolation. They have gone eight Serie A matches without losing, and this latest win fits that trend rather than standing apart from it.

Amorim also felt the team had improved from the previous outing. Quoted in Italian by Sky Sport Italia, he said: "We did better than against Atalanta, of course, it must still be emphasized that we did not have too much time to train, we also changed the way of playing and the combination between the various sectors a little. I am very proud and I am already thinking about Bologna. We will see who survives to play."

That last line lands because it brings the whole discussion back to the practical problem. Milan are fourth on 18 points, unbeaten in the league, and still picking through injuries before Bologna.

FAQ

Why is Ruben Amorim talking about Milan's future after beating Udinese?

Amorim used Milan's 2-0 win away to Udinese to explain that his job is about more than the next result. He said Milan must also build for the future by giving young players opportunities, especially during an injury-hit spell that is forcing changes to the team.

Are AC Milan actually in the Serie A title race after the win at Udinese?

The win took Milan to 18 points after 8 Serie A matches and left them fourth in the table. They are also unbeaten in the league with 5 wins and 3 draws, so the domestic start is solid even though some reports had their position wrong.

How did Milan cope with injuries against Udinese?

Amorim pointed to a long absentee list and said players had to be ready. Milan still won 2-0, with Christian Pulišić scoring early, Omari Hutchinson getting his first goal for the club, and young players such as Davide Bartesaghi and debutant Diawara taking on bigger roles.

Is Davide Bartesaghi already established in Amorim's Milan team?

Amorim praised Bartesaghi's attacking side but also said he still needs to improve defensively and be more aggressive in one-against-one situations. Bartesaghi still put up 6 tackles and won 11 of 19 duels against Udinese, so the outing supported Amorim's trust without settling every question.

Written by Daniel Hartley with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 3 outlets. How we work →