Paulo Fonseca looking to make a statement with UCL opener against Liverpool
AC Milan manager Paulo Fonseca believes Milan’s Champions League opener against Liverpool is the perfect opportunity to show the team’s progress under his stewardship.
Fonseca, who arrived at the San Siro from Lille in July, picked up his first Serie A victory for the Rossoneri on Saturday with a 4-0 rout of Venezia.
All four goals came in the first 30 minutes of that encounter, the first time Milan had done so in a league match since October 1958 against Alessandria.
Milan welcome a familiar foe in the competition in Liverpool on Tuesday, with the pair having squared off in the 2005 and 2007 finals, both winning one apiece.
The Italian side also faced the Reds in the Champions League group stage in the 2021-22 season but lost on both occasions as Liverpool reached the showpiece match, only to lose 1-0 to Real Madrid.
But Liverpool come into the contest off the back of a shock 1-0 defeat to Nottingham Forest at the weekend, the first defeat of the Arne Slot era.
However, Fonseca insisted that despite their opponents’ latest result, his side must eradicate their own mistakes and be defensively perfect to kickstart their campaign with a victory.
“I think Liverpool is one of the strongest teams in Europe. They have a good game and strong individuals,” Fonseca said.
“We have to be perfect defensively, you cannot make mistakes.
“I see it as an opportunity to show our progress. It will lead us to do different things… but also to prove our worth.
“I am sure it will. The support of our fans is always important for us. Tomorrow it will be like that, we want to feel their love.”
Milan’s new signing and Euro 2024 winning captain, Alvaro Morata, is also expecting a difficult test against Liverpool on Tuesday.
Morata returned to action as a second half substitute against Venezia after missing two games with a back injury after marking his debut with a goal against Torino.
The Spaniard also has an impressive record against Liverpool, failing to lose in his five appearances against them (won three and drawn two) while also scoring once.
“It will be a great challenge, we have so many different players, and we have to fix so many mechanisms, only time will tell,” Morata said.
“Ever since you arrive at a club like this you dream of playing with Liverpool in the Champions League, it could even be a semi-final, it’s strange that we play right away.
“There is so much desire. These are the games that make sporting history.”
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