Fonseca explains how Real Madrid preparation began with selection against Monza | OneFootball

AC Milan head coach Paulo Fonseca has given some insight into his preparations for the game against Real Madrid, which started with his selections against Monza.

Fonseca chose to make four changes to the starting line-up from the team that beat Monza on Saturday, with the most notable being the inclusion of Yunus Musah.

There was doubt about whether he would be a right winger or a wing-back, but the coach mentioned a five-man defensive line in his pre-match comments.

The game could hardly have gone any better and it was a plan executed to near-perfection. Malick Thiaw, Alvaro Morata and Tijjani Reijnders all scored in an eventual 3-1 win.

Fonseca spoke in the press conference room at the Santiago Bernabeu after what was a famous European win for Milan, and his comments were relayed by MilanNews.

Was that your Milan?

“I have to be honest: these games are totally different from the ones we have in Serie A. It’s the Milan that I want, but we can’t always be the same team in Serie A. Only those who are in Italy understand this.

“Here there is no man-to-man team across the entire pitch and for this reason I have to be careful when making these comparisons. In Europe we can be this type of team, but often in Italy there is no possibility of playing this type of game.”

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Why did you choose Musah?

“We tried to stop Vinicius who is very strong in one-on-one situations.”

Morata did well…

“It’s not about the goal but how he works for the team, how he creates doubts in the opposing teams, that is important.”

When did this idea come to you?

“In Monza I didn’t play Royal, Musah, Tomori, Leao, because I had already studied Real Madrid and I had this match in mind.”

Did you like the midfield?

“Fofana, Reijnders and Pulisic and Morata were decisive in how they controlled the game with and without the ball. I like the courage the midfielders showed.”

Photo by Angel Martinez/Getty Images

The best performances have come against Inter and Real Madrid, is it a good thing to start as underdogs?

“No, it’s the characteristics of the matches. We are growing in many things. This match was more open, in which we could have played differently. There are many matches in Italy against teams that close up well.

“It’s not the same playing against Monza or Cagliari, who mark man-to-man all over the pitch, or against teams that play like Real Madrid. It’s more difficult for us to play against Italian teams.”