Amorim's Milan topple Inter but coach refuses to overclaim
A 3-0 derby win built on early set-piece goals and improved second-half control left Ruben Amorim encouraged rather than convinced, as he stressed Milan's progress remains a process rather than a finished product.
Ruben Amorim's first Derby della Madonnina produced a 3-0 win over Inter, but the Milan coach was careful afterwards to frame it as one data point in a longer rebuild rather than proof of arrival, according to Football Italia.
Diego Moreira scored direct from a free kick and set up both Christian Pulisic and Adrien Rabiot as Milan raced into a 2-0 lead inside ten minutes at San Siro. Alessandro Bastoni headed in a Hakan Calhanoglu corner to pull Inter back into the contest, and the visitors spent the final half-hour pressing for a way back in without seriously testing Mike Maignan, per Football Italia.
Amorim told DAZN Italia his side had adjusted their approach compared with recent matches, highlighting improved ball retention in the second half once Inter began to dominate territory. He credited Luka Modric specifically for helping Milan manage possession under pressure, a detail that speaks to the control a deep-lying playmaker can offer when a team needs to see out a lead rather than chase a game.
That contrast matters tactically. Milan's opening ten minutes were about directness and set-piece efficiency — a free kick and two quick assists — while the closing period required the opposite skill set: patient build-up play to deny Inter sustained possession in advanced areas. Amorim's own comments suggest he saw that shift as evidence of tactical maturity rather than luck.
Chivu's shape gamble didn't pay off
Cristian Chivu made the more eye-catching tactical choice before kickoff, switching Inter into a 3-4-2-1 with Petar Sucic and Andy Diouf played in support of a lone striker in Marcus Thuram, according to Football Italia. Deploying two attacking midfielders behind a single central striker is designed to overload the half-spaces and free a team's most creative players from defensive responsibility higher up the pitch.
Instead, Inter were caught cold inside ten minutes and spent large portions of the match reacting rather than imposing the shape Chivu had set out. Bastoni's header from Calhanoglu's corner was the clearest reward the system produced, and the final half-hour did see Inter push men forward and pin Milan into a lower block near their own box. But without troubling Maignan in that spell, the pressure never translated into the kind of sustained goal threat a front-three overload is meant to generate.
Why Amorim keeps pointing to Bologna
Amorim's post-match framing leaned heavily on context rather than celebration. He noted that Mario Gila, Moreira and Rabiot had all missed Wednesday's 4-2 home defeat to Bologna and returned for the derby, crediting their qualities and their fit with how the squad trains as much as their individual output, Football Italia reported.
That return of personnel is a more sober explanation for the turnaround than any single tactical tweak, and Amorim did not pretend otherwise. He said he was still thinking about what went wrong against Bologna even while discussing the derby win, a sign that he is treating one bad result and one outstanding one as part of the same evaluation rather than as separate stories.
His phrase to DAZN Italia — that beating Inter is "an amazing night," but "we'll also have bad moments" — was explicit about managing expectations. He described the San Siro atmosphere as unlike any derby he had previously experienced, but tied that enthusiasm directly to patience, saying the win should show fans "this is a process and it's going to take time."
The Scudetto question Amorim won't rush to answer
Club patron Gerry Cardinale, present in the stands, has made no secret of wanting Milan to challenge for the Scudetto, previously invoking Top Gun to make the point, Football Italia noted. Asked about that target, Amorim did not dismiss it but was blunt that winning the title in his first season was unlikely, while insisting Milan would "fight in every game."
He closed with his own Top Gun reference, pointing out that the wingman died in the first film and that he would rather focus on the sequel — a deflection that doubled as his clearest signal yet that he sees this season as foundation-laying rather than a title assault.
Milan now carry derby momentum into their next fixture, but Amorim's own words suggest he will judge the project on consistency across matches like Bologna and Inter alike, not on any single result.