After securing a victory against Empoli, Milan are now preparing for their Coppa Italia clash against Sassuolo. Ahead of the Round of 16 match, Milan’s head coach Paulo Fonseca spoke to Milan TV about his team’s objectives and shared his thoughts on the recent debut of midfielder Edoardo Bove.
Reflecting on Bove’s debut, Fonseca said, “I was watching the game, and it was a difficult moment. He worked with me at Roma, and I’m sorry for what happened to him. Now he is doing better; it’s not football that’s important right now, but his health. It was a challenging time, and I send a hug from all of us—team and club. A lot has been discussed here at Milanello today about what happened. I wish him a speedy recovery.”
As the team gears up for the Coppa Italia, Fonseca emphasized the importance of ambition: “Milan hasn’t won this trophy in a long time. We need to be ambitious. However, let’s not look too far ahead; we must focus solely on tomorrow’s match. If we want to reach the final, which has to be our goal, we need to win tomorrow.”
Despite Sassuolo currently playing in Serie B, Fonseca warned against underestimating them: “For me, they are not a Serie B team; they have many players with Serie A experience. They defeated Lecce 2-0 in the previous round and are a strong team that we have studied. I told the boys to expect a difficult game against a team that plays at the Serie A level.”
When asked about managing player fitness ahead of future matches, Fonseca acknowledged the need for careful rotation: “If we don’t manage the team and players well, we could face physical issues, which we want to avoid. I have confidence in all the players; there will be some changes but always with the aim of winning.”
Fonseca also provided updates on player availability: “Maignan will not be available due to dental surgery. Theo will also miss out because of a foot bruise. The others are all ready to play. I will field a team designed to win.”
Following their balanced performance against Empoli, Fonseca expressed satisfaction with his team’s progress: “I am pleased. We played well and had many scoring opportunities while recovering possession high up the pitch. We are on the right path and must work every day to become stronger.”
He also praised the development of players like Thiaw and Emerson Royal: “Thiaw is in great form, and Emerson is improving. He arrived late, and Serie A is different from the Premier League. He has had little time to adapt, but his recent performances show he is getting better, and the fans have noticed that too.”
