Milan Derby Victory Restores Momentum Under Ruben Amorim
AC Milan defeated Inter Milan 3-1 in a high-stakes derby clash, lifting pressure off manager Ruben Amorim following a turbulent start to his San Siro tenure, The Guardian reported. Christian Pulisic opened the scoring in the fourth minute with a thumping header from Diego Moreira’s cross, capping an 80-second sequence of unbroken possession.
Amorim Deploys Formation as Inter Faces Forward Shortage
Amorim deployed a 3-4-2-1 formation for the derby, returning to his preferred tactical setup after experimenting with a back four earlier in the season. Inter manager Christian Chivu faced an acute forward shortage due to injuries to Lautaro Martínez and illnesses to Francesco Pio Esposito and Ange-Yoan Bonny. Chivu pushed Andy Diouf forward to partner Marcus Thuram, but Inter struggled to match Milan’s early intensity.
The match showcased the impact of Milan’s summer transfer activity. The club’s owners backed Amorim with more than €160m in transfer fees, bringing in talents like Moreira from Strasbourg for over €50m.
From Childhood Dreams to San Siro Touchline
Growing up in Lisbon, Amorim supported Benfica and nurtured a childhood fascination with Milan after watching vintage VHS tapes of a squad featuring Paolo Maldini, Franco Baresi, Ruud Gullit, Frank Rijkaard, and Dejan Savicevic, as he recalled in a 2017 interview with the Portuguese newspaper Expresso. Before his managerial career—which included winning two Primeira Liga titles at Sporting—Amorim collected three Primeira Liga titles as a player with Benfica and earned 14 national team call-ups. Taking over a Milan side that had missed out on the Champions League for a second season, the coach acknowledged last week that trouble is always just around the corner at every big team. That reality was highlighted by a barmy 4-2 defeat against Bologna where Milan collapsed after the interval due to exhaustion, alongside an earlier heavy defeat at Bournemouth.
Club Ownership Backing Amid Stadium Plans
Milan owner Gerry Cardinale expressed total confidence in his manager ahead of the fixture. Citing his film Top Gun, Cardinale told La Gazzetta dello Sport that he would stand by his wingman and avoid the frequent managerial turnover that has plagued the club in recent years. Goal.com noted that Cardinale believes Amorim learned valuable lessons from his departure at Manchester United in 2025.
The derby win arrived during the same week Milan and Inter jointly presented official architectural plans for a new stadium scheduled to replace the iconic San Siro in 2031, according to The Guardian. While Amorim insisted after the match that nobody should get carried away given that the Rossoneri remain seven points behind their city rivals in the standings, the result provides tangible weight to the club’s Scudetto ambitions.
Common Questions About Milan’s Season
Why did Ruben Amorim leave Manchester United?
Amorim joined Manchester United in 2024 and guided the club to a Europa League final before his dismissal in 2025 following a challenging spell.
How much did Milan spend on transfers under Amorim?
Milan’s owners backed their new manager with more than €160m in transfer fees during the summer window to rebuild the squad.
When is the new Milan stadium scheduled to open?
Milan and Inter jointly presented plans for a new stadium intended to replace San Siro by the year 2031.