Fonseca discusses Saelemaekers ‘regret’, injury updates and ‘biggest disappointments’ | OneFootball

Ahead of AC Milan vs. AS Roma, Paulo Fonseca has spoken about the fixture whilst also discussing the current injury list he has to work with.

With the Supercoppa Italiana around the corner, Milan must ensure that they are at their peak, and this must start against Roma this weekend. A game which, on paper, should be quite simple with the Giallorossi sitting near the relegation zone.

However, it rarely ever is like this.

The Rossoneri have proved again and again this season that they struggle against sides in difficult positions and Roma will be focusing on a result, rather than a performance, which is often a struggle for Fonseca’s side.

There are set to be some changes made to the squad, with the Portuguese having a limited squad available to him, whether it be due to injuries or absences, he must get his squad spot on.

Speaking to the media on Saturday afternoon, Fonseca’s words have been relayed by Milan News.

It’s the first time you’ve faced Roma as an opposing coach. Did you imagine it like this?

“Yes, Roma is Roma. It’s a great club, a great city. They have a great team with good players and a great coach who has won a lot. Coming back here to Italy and playing against Roma is special for me. I have friends there, but tomorrow when I step onto the pitch to play it will be like all the other teams and the desire to win, to play a good game. For 90 minutes I only have one thought, to win.”

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Can you give us a medical bulletin?

“I expected that we could have Pulisic. He is fine but these last two days he has an ankle problem, which is another one. He hasn’t trained with us. It is a problem that arose during the recovery process, he is not ready for tomorrow, not even for the bench. Not for the previous problem but this new one that has come up.

“Loftus is much better, I think that next week could be a solution. Morata is fine, he is ready to play. Bennacer is fine, he is very motivated: he is not in the physical condition to play 90 minutes, but he is ready to play and he will play. I am sure he will play.

“Musah and Leao are more delayed, in recovery, let’s see if we can recover them for the Super Cup. We will have 11 players.”

How is Theo?

“We’ve had Theo train these days, he needs to recover physically. It’s true, I think he’s also aware that he can do much better. But honestly in these last two days, that we’ve worked together and talked, I’m really positive about Theo: let’s see how he goes. I’m mainly positive about these last two days”.

Aren’t two days enough to see him as a starter tomorrow?

“We’ll have to wait and see.”

How does it change with Jimenez replacing Leao?

“They are different players, Rafa is stronger in one-on-one situations. Jimenez is fast, maybe he plays more for the cross and the assist. He is different. But Jimenez is also a player of individual initiative. I cannot make great comparisons between the players, he found himself well in this position.

“I have one certainty for tomorrow: Jimenez will play. Let’s see as a winger or full-back”.

Milan Roma: the challenge of the biggest disappointments of the championship?

“No, I don’t think so. I don’t have this feeling. We are far from the end of the championship. Afterwards, I think that if we make a comparison with other teams, saying that only Roma and Milan are disappointing is too much.”

Is he happy with Abraham?

“It’s true that players have ups and downs. He had a great period when he played with Morata, then he was less good. But I’m satisfied with Abraham.”

What did he ask of Santa Claus? A starting midfielder? How do you comment on the possible exit of Tomori?

“We are thinking about all the situations. The club is careful. The changes we make will be made with the awareness of what is best for the team. But now I am very focused on the next match and the Super Cup.

“We haven’t talked about Tomori, for me it’s news. It’s a normal situation and if we need to talk about it then we will talk about it.”

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“I respect this point of view. Tomori is a great professional and is important for the team. Playing or not playing, he works the same way and for me that is important. He has already played, he has already been on the bench but he has never changed his attitude. And these players are very important to me in the team, not just those who play all the games.

“Tomori is important to me. I can’t tell anyone if he will play tomorrow or more, but for me he is very important.”

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Will he work to achieve a Fofana-Bennacer-Reijnders midfield?

“I don’t know. I know who will play tomorrow. But what I can say very honestly is that Bennacer is not in the physical condition to start tomorrow. But I am very satisfied with Bennacer’s return.

“He is very motivated, he is working very well, he is bringing a lot of energy to the team, what I feel at the moment is that he can be important for the team, with his energy and his aggressiveness in training: I see a way, with Bennacer who can be important for our team in this part of the season.”

Lots of sacrifice but disappointing offensive production from Chukwueze… Are you sorry you didn’t coach Saelemaekers?

“I’m not going back. Saelemaekers knows what I think of him. Honestly, I’m satisfied that he’s doing well. I agree with Chukwueze. He’s a player who works hard for the team and sacrifices a lot. It’s not easy to be the fifth man defensively, he’s doing well.

“He’s missing in the final choices, I think he can be more decisive. It’s also a question of confidence, he needs to improve and important moments that raise the quality of the players. We’re working on this, we expect him to be able to bring more to the team in the final choices.”

The team also in view of the Super Cup…

“After today’s training I’m here very positive, they worked very well. I can only be positive after today’s training.”

So you expect to play one more game?

“I don’t think about anything else.”

Will we be able to see Theo and Jimenez?

“No.”

A good resolution for 2025?

“It’s easy to understand, I want to win. I want to take the team to another ranking, fairer and more reflective of our qualities.”

Can Tomori be used as a right-back?

“In Verona, it was a temporary choice, but I can say that I have already thought about it. [Manchester] City sometimes play with four central defenders on the defensive line. Maybe Tomori can do this position defensively.

“The problem is with the offensive dynamics that we have and our way of attacking with the full-back: it seems difficult to have Tomori in this position. Defensively, yes, he is the fastest defender in the team.

“Offensively it is more difficult to fit him into the offensive dynamics of the team. But at some point and in some match, when I think we need to defend better, it can happen.”

Photo by Lars Baron/Getty Images

The month of January, between Serie A, Champions League and Super Cup, is decisive for the team and for you? What do you not want to see in 2025?

“It’s not difficult to understand what I want to see in 2025: a team with a more consistent attitude. Do I think of January as decisive? No. It’s a full January, too full. And so I have to think about one game at a time.

“Now I’m only thinking about Roma, after this game, I’ll start thinking about the Super Cup. If I get ahead of myself with my thoughts, I can’t do things well.”

What do you mean by consistent?

“We are talking about a team that has played matches in which it has shown what it can do well. Without these matches, we could have thought it was a problem. The team instead has shown ability in difficult matches. But I think the team doesn’t see all matches in the same way and this is the problem.

“Today we are here talking about a Milan that is not doing well, but if we have two more points than the matches against Genoa and Cagliari maybe we wouldn’t have talked about it so much. But this happened because the team is not consistent in facing opponents: when they don’t play against big teams they think it’s easy.

“This is what we have to change, in this, we have to be consistent, look at all teams in the same way and not lose points where we shouldn’t lose them. Is it a tactical question? No. Is it a technical question? No. Is it a problem now? No.

“We are trying to do everything we can do. Have we tried everything? No, because these moments continue to happen. It’s a big challenge. I’m sure we will find the right path.”