Amorim's AC Milan: Aggressive From the First Minute and the Unsolved Question of Sustainability

The 14th minute at San Siro erupted. Christian Pulisic collected the ball inside the box, finished cleanly, and all the criticism aimed at Ruben Amorim over the previous three weeks was momentarily pushed aside. AC Milan did not wait, did not probe, did not give Lecce time to adapt. They attacked from the opening whistle, exactly the way pundits expected from a club with grand ambition. The transfer window is only the surface; the hidden cash flow is the real control panel. But that night, Milan's control was about tempo, about decisiveness, about Amorim finally finding a lineup that could play proactive football from the very first minutes. To understand why the 3-0 win over Lecce in Serie A matchday five mattered so much, look back three weeks. Amorim's Milan entered the season with a completely different face. Against Juventus, they played a first half as poor as it was alarming. Against Lazio, the same. Slow starts, a lack of ideas, allowing opponents to impose their rhythm — a recurring bad habit that made supporters question the Portuguese coach's tactical ability. Then came the 0-2 loss to Benfica in the Europa League, a defeat that intensified the pressure. Why was Estupinan always preferred to Diego Moreira? Why could the team only play well in the second half? Those questions hung over Amorim as Milan walked into the Lecce match. This was seen as the chance to correct course, to prove the criticism was exaggerated. On the surface, the Lecce match was a clear answer. The opening goal in the 14th minute did not come from a set piece or an individual mistake; it came from constant pressure, from Milan pushing high and owning the midfield from the start. Pulisic, returning from a spell on the sidelines, showed the value of a star who appears at the right moment. The goals in the 61st and 73rd minutes demonstrated the ability to sustain intensity, something this team lacked in previous matches. Amorim did not merely rotate; he built a more organized pressing unit, better off-ball movement, and most importantly, never let Lecce breathe for most of the match. On a deeper level, this win mattered for Milan's standing in Serie A and the Europa League. In the 2026-27 season, they are not in the Champions League; their European stage is the Europa League. That means the pressure to finish in the top four is enormous, because only then can they return to the most prestigious competition and maintain commercial appeal for major stars. Each Serie A victory does not simply deliver three points; it also sends a signal to the transfer market that Milan remains a brand worth investing in. From a data perspective, what interests me is not the three goals but how they were created. In the 61st and 73rd minutes, Amorim's changes made a direct difference. Diego Moreira came on and scored the third goal — a significant signal about squad depth and positional competition. Since the data rebellion of 2026, I stopped believing in numbers and started believing in how they are placed next to each other. A goal by a substitute can be a single moment. But when it follows a sequence of matches in which Milan's attack was blunt, it becomes a message to the coaching staff: Moreira is ready for a starting role. The question for the next phase lies on the left side. Amorim continued to trust Pervis Estupinan, a decision that sparked debate while Moreira shone. Estupinan did his defensive job well, helping Milan stay balanced when building from their own half. But he still needs to improve a great deal with the ball near the final third. This is a trade-off Amorim accepts: solidity on the left in exchange for explosive impact from the bench. For a coach under pressure, it is a safe choice. I do not oppose safety, but I want to see him know when to switch to the bolder option. From an operational angle, this win temporarily calmed the atmosphere at Milanello. Bartesaghi, a young talent who needs match rhythm, shows that squad depth is still a work in progress. Adrien Rabiot, a veteran in midfield, played a balancing role without dominating headlines. What stood out was how Milan handled media pressure. Instead of letting criticism seep into the dressing room, they turned it into motivation. Amorim understands that a good result against Lecce only matters if it is repeated in tougher matches. The international break came at the right time, giving him space to improve fitness, adjust tactics, and keep experimenting with the players staying at Milanello. Based on my experience watching matches, I refuse to join the rising wave of optimism. Look at it soberly: Lecce are not Juventus, not Lazio, certainly not Benfica. They are a mid-table opponent who came to San Siro with a defensive mindset, and on that night they lacked the quality to exploit the spaces Milan's high line left behind. The 3-0 win was necessary, but it proves nothing about facing stronger sides. At 59, experience has taught me one thing: every summer has a truth buried under a hundred headlines. Right now, the truth lies in how Milan start the first half in the coming matches. The biggest risk for this team is not a lack of talent, but an over-reliance on one Pulisic moment. Without an early goal, would Milan have the patience to stick to the plan? Would the aggressive approach survive against an opponent that keeps its shape better than Lecce? These questions have no answer in a match where everything followed the script. The international break gives Amorim a special opportunity. Players not called up will stay at Milanello, work on specific drills, and that is when tactical ideas are truly refined. The match after the break will answer the season's most important question: was the Lecce win the start of a habit, or just a fleeting moment inside an unstable stretch? For someone who has followed the transfer market and European football for more than four decades, I have learned that the biggest victories come from reading the right moment. At this moment, the only certainty is that Milan still face a test named 'strong opponents'. Contracts do not create eras; eras create contracts. In the same way, one win does not create a great coach — but it can be the first sign of a team rediscovering itself. What matters is not whether Milan are ready. What matters is whether Amorim will keep this boldness when the opponent is no longer Lecce.