Ruben Amorim Admits Man United Mistakes as He Embraces Different Formations at AC Milan

AC Milan head coach Ruben Amorim has acknowledged the need for greater tactical adaptability, a lesson he says he learned from his difficult spell at Manchester United.

Amorim, 41, took the helm at the Rossoneri in June after a challenging 14-month tenure with the Red Devils ended in January. During his time at Old Trafford, the Portuguese manager frequently lamented that his players were ill-suited to his preferred back-three system.

Similar concerns arose last week when Milan suffered a Europa League defeat to Benfica. However, Amorim demonstrated a new-found versatility in a convincing 3-0 victory over Lecce at the San Siro on Sunday, extending his unbeaten start in Serie A.

In a departure from his usual tactics, Milan appeared to shift from a back three to a back four during the match, with Mario Gila moving into a full-back role. The adjustment paid off, resulting in the team's second clean sheet of the season.

"A great victory," Amorim stated post-match. "I liked the movement, especially the attacking depth. We managed the game and read the opponent well."

He continued, "These are different times, but we're improving. Today the players had more freedom; in recent games we were a bit too static, stuck. I can't repeat my mistakes from Manchester. If we don't have the characteristics to play a certain way, we have to adapt."

While hinting at a return to his preferred formation, Amorim recognised the unique challenges of Italian football. "We'll go back to building with three, but we'll see. Here in Italy, the coaches are very good, especially at going after other teams one-on-one."

Amorim had previously drawn criticism for suggesting that 2018 Ballon d'Or winner Luka Modric, now 41, did not fit his system. Despite this, the veteran Croatian midfielder started against Lecce, earning praise from his coach.

"With Modric, we need to have the ball for a long time, but he's ready to play every game we need," Amorim explained. "If we only play transition games, it's not good for him, nor for [Ardon] Jashari. In these possession-based games, he's perfect; in the others, we'll see, but he can play every game."