New AC Milan manager Ruben Amorim has pledged to uphold the legacy of club icon Franco Baresi as he begins the task of rebuilding the fortunes of the Italian giants following a disappointing campaign.
The Portuguese coach, who returned to management after his dismissal by Manchester United in January, is preparing for his first Milan derby against city rivals Inter Milan in Perth, Australia, on Wednesday.
Amorim’s tenure got underway with a 2 2 draw against Celtic in a pre season friendly in Glasgow last month. His immediate objective is to guide AC Milan back into the Serie A top four after the club narrowly missed Champions League qualification on the final day of last season.
Speaking ahead of the clash with Inter, the 41 year old expressed confidence in the unity within his squad and stressed the importance of maintaining that spirit throughout the season.
He said the players have built a strong bond and must remain united even when faced with difficult moments, adding that a club of AC Milan’s stature is expected to compete for victory in every match.
AC Milan have also received a timely boost with veteran midfielder Luka Modric extending his stay at the club for another year. The Croatian star recently returned after featuring at his fifth FIFA World Cup, where Croatia’s campaign ended in the Round of 32 following defeat to Portugal.
Amorim revealed that Modric is fit enough to feature against Inter, saying the club worked hard to keep the experienced midfielder and that he is ready to play for a few minutes.
Wednesday’s encounter will carry added emotion as it will be AC Milan’s first match since the passing of club legend Franco Baresi, who captained the Rossoneri during one of the most successful periods in the club’s history in the 1980s and 1990s.
Reflecting on Baresi’s impact, Amorim said conversations with members of the club’s staff revealed just how deeply respected the late football icon was, noting that many still become emotional whenever his name is mentioned.
He described Baresi as someone who always placed the team above individual interests and promised to preserve those values. While refusing to guarantee immediate success, Amorim assured supporters that he would remain committed to carrying forward the legacy left behind by the legendary captain.
After facing Inter, AC Milan will continue their pre season preparations with a friendly against Chelsea in Jakarta on Saturday.
Inter Milan, who recently defeated Manchester City on penalties in Hong Kong, will stay in Perth to take on Juventus on the same day, while Juventus will conclude the all Italian pre season festival with a fixture against Serie B side Palermo on August 11.
The week long football event, known as Calcio Italiano, follows the cancellation of an earlier proposal to stage a Serie A match between AC Milan and Como in Perth after sanctions imposed by the Asian Football Confederation prevented the fixture from going ahead.
Inter manager Cristian Chivu welcomed the idea of taking Serie A matches to international audiences, saying such games would help promote Italian football globally. He suggested that any future overseas league fixture should ideally be scheduled at the beginning of the season to maximise its impact.
