Ruben Amorim Addresses Milan Lineup Decisions and Maignan

AC Milan head coach Ruben Amorim addressed his lineup decisions and injury crisis ahead of the Serie A fixture at the Bluenergy Stadium, Yahoo Sports reported. The squad arrived at the fixture carrying heavy personnel losses following a 3-0 Europa League defeat against AFC Bournemouth on Oct. 22, 2026.

Bluenergy Stadium Match Preparations

Milan kicked off against Udinese at 19.45 GMT on Oct. 25, 2026, with a severely depleted roster. Amorim was forced to reshuffle his starting formation due to a combination of suspensions and mounting injuries within the squad.

Defenders Fikayo Tomori and Sankhoun Diawara both earned their first Serie A starts of the season in the restructured backline. Amorim explained his tactical choices regarding the opposition setup:

We know that Udinese have five players at the back, so we try to play in a different way.Ruben Amorim via Yahoo Sports

Squad Rotation and Injury Pressures

The Rossoneri manager faced an extensive injury list that severely limited his tactical flexibility. Adrien Rabiot, Mario Gila, and Diego Moreira picked up injuries during the midweek European fixture in England.

Those fresh absences compounded existing long-term fitness issues for Samuel Chukwueze, Matteo Gabbia, Alexis Saelemaekers, and Pietro Terracciano. Amorim noted the physical toll of the current fixture calendar:

They cannot play, it’s just not possible. We need to manage the players, and there are players here today too where we need to manage their minutes.Ruben Amorim via Yahoo Sports

The coach added that Goncalo Ramos traveled with the team after recovering from a midweek issue, confirming he was ready to feature.

Mike Maignan Red Card Fallout

Goalkeeper Mike Maignan missed the fixture following his straight red card against Bournemouth on Oct. 22, 2026. Maignan was dismissed for shoving Tyler Adams during a corner kick setup in the first half of the European match.

Amorim confirmed he spoke with the goalkeeper about the incident. The manager offered a blunt assessment of his team’s competitive edge:

The players are not boys, they are men. Maignan understood right away he cannot do that, we cannot put ourselves in that position.Ruben Amorim via Yahoo Sports

Amorim also drew a direct comparison between the Bournemouth defeat and domestic struggles. Bournemouth weren’t better than us, they were more competitive, Amorim stated, noting that similar issues have surfaced during the first halves of Serie A matches.

Bologna Midweek and Derby della Madonnina

Milan entered the weekend fixture remaining unbeaten in Serie A, though prior draws against Juventus, Lazio, and Sassuolo kept them from establishing a dominant league position. The team also nearly surrendered a three-goal advantage before securing a 3-2 victory against Atalanta.

The club faces a demanding schedule in the coming days. Milan meets Bologna in a midweek Serie A round before hosting Inter in the Derby della Madonnina on Oct. 31, 2026.