Amorim: ‘Milan improving and final minutes don’t change that, we spoke to Rabiot’

ITALY - OCTOBER 18: Ruben Amorim, Head Coach of AC Milan, gives instructions to Adrien Rabiot during the Serie A match between AC Milan and Atalanta BC at Stadio Giuseppe Meazza on October 18, 2026 in Italy. (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images)

Ruben Amorim insists ‘the final minutes don’t change’ improvements shown by Milan in a 3-2 win over Atalanta and reveals his tense discussion with Adrien Rabiot.

It was an odd evening for the Rossoneri coach, who was pleased to see his team surge into a 3-0 lead including a Goncalo Ramos penalty parried by Marco Carnesecchi, with Ramos, Adrien Rabiot and Mario Gila on target.

However, they risked throwing it all away in the final half-hour, as Gianluca Gaetano and Nikola Krstovic got Atalanta back to 3-2, and only a desperate Mike Maignan save on Davide Zappacosta prevented the equaliser.

It’s a change of tempo, considering Milan had until today scored only once in the first half.

Amorim worried by Milan momentum

“Of course, the result is the most important thing, but we also have to analyse the performance,” confessed Amorim on DAZN Italia and Sky Sport Italia.

“I said against Sassuolo we were improving as a team, the final minutes don’t change that, they just give us a clear idea that we have a lot of work to do.

“The momentum changed completely, as before the Atalanta goal, we were controlling the game and closer to a fourth goal than conceding a first, but some bad decisions especially in the build-up gave them opportunities, and we have to improve that.”

This comes off the back of a 4-0 Europa League victory away to RB Salzburg on Thursday, despite rotating the squad with numerous changes.

“The squad rotation helped us a lot, they are working really hard. Of course, changing the way we press takes time, but we are understanding better the moments to press, and it seems easier when that happens to be in the right position,” continued Amorim.

“It was not just being tired, but the momentum changed. We were afraid of conceding when we should’ve been trying to score a fourth. I tried it with fresh midfielders, but the tension was felt not just in the squad, but in the stadium from the fans.”

Rabiot told Sky Sport Italia that he was ‘angry’ at the second half performance, warning Milan needed more from their substitutes.

The midfielder had a moment of tension on the touchline with Amorim just before the goal, as he’d been booked for dissent and was visibly irritable. Did the coach consider substituting him?

“Rabiot is a really important player. I felt that after half-time we spoke to him, this is a guy who is experienced, he knows he cannot stop every play when he has a yellow. He was too important today to change him, but if I felt one more foul would lead to a card, I’d change him. I didn’t feel that today.”

There are certainly improvements compared to the start of the season, as Amorim and Milan are finding their feet with the hybrid system that has three at the back, with wide men who can drop back when required to provide more coverage.