Modric Starts as AC Milan Omit Six Players Pending Transfers
AC Milan manager Ruben Amorim addressed broadcast media ahead of his home debut at San Siro against Venezia in Serie A, delivering operational updates on squad availability and tactical adjustments. The pre-match exchange centered on starting lineup selections and structural squad shifts on August 28, 2026.
The discussion unfolded as AC Milan finalized a transfer sending winger Rafael Leao to Galatasaray for €43, 45m plus €2m in add-ons and a 20 per cent sell-on clause. Amorim elected to omit six players involved in active transfer negotiations, choosing instead to reconfigure his starting eleven around midfielder Luka Modric and full-back Davide Bartesaghi.
AC Milan
clubRuben Amorim Demands Total Squad Focus Amid €45m Exit for Rafael Leao
Addressing the exclusion of transfer-listed squad members prior to kickoff, Amorim outlined his requirement for absolute commitment from everyone in the squad.
“I think if you are here, you need to be here 100 per cent, and understand the team is the most important thing. What I remember from the big Milan teams is not just the quality of the players, it’s that every player fought for the team, and then some players you see as individuals,” Amorim said. “Our biggest concern at the moment is about the team. If you play well and win games as a team, everyone becomes a special player, as you always have the individual.”
Amorim’s insistence on baseline commitment underscores a firm line on squad discipline during a period of roster restructuring. Omitted from the matchday squad alongside Leao were Samuele Ricci, Fikayo Tomori, Youssouf Fofana, Santiago Gimenez, and Warren Bondo, clearing space for players focused on the immediate fixture. The policy prioritizes functional collective work rate over individual status as the club balances financial moves with on-pitch stability.
Galatasaray
clubRuben Amorim Explains Modric and Bartesaghi Inclusions Against Venezia
When questioned about introducing Luka Modric and Davide Bartesaghi to replace Ardon Jashari and Pervis Estupinan in the starting eleven, Amorim detailed the technical and physical factors driving his decisions.
“It’s a lot of things together, but of course Modric has experience to give us a little more calm in that area. Jashari also has quality, but the experience is different, Modric played 30 minutes with a lot of quality in the last game,” Amorim noted. “Bartesaghi is about the movement, as Venezia play a lot man for man, so he has the physicality to cover a lot of runs. We try to balance the team, change some things, but the most important thing is the quality of the whole team.”
Integrating Modric provides a stabilizing presence in central midfield to control game tempo, while Bartesaghi offers vertical athleticism to track opponent runners against a man-marking scheme, a defensive structure where players cover designated opponents across the pitch. Amorim emphasized that tactical flexibility and defensive work without the ball remain essential components of his match strategy.
Broadcast interview conducted by DAZN Italia.