Fonseca praises AC Milan's clinical edge in hard-fought victory over resilient Empoli

AC Milan's head coach, Paulo Fonseca, expressed his satisfaction following his team's 3-0 victory against Empoli, a team known for its defensive resilience, on Saturday.

The match saw Tijjani Reijnders score twice, complemented by a goal from Alvaro Morata, allowing Milan to secure a decisive win against Empoli, who currently sit in 10th place, with the hosts taking the lead in the 19th minute.

"We delivered an excellent performance against a side that is notably aggressive in defense, possessing the fourth-best defensive record in the league," Fonseca remarked during the post-match press conference.

Empoli entered the match at the San Siro trailing Milan by three points and has conceded 14 goals in 14 matches this season, a figure matched only by Lazio, Milan, and Inter, who have played one game less, and surpassed only by Juventus, Napoli, and Fiorentina.

"Our game was well-balanced in both offensive and defensive aspects. A crucial factor was our ability to quickly recover the ball in the attacking half," Fonseca noted.

"While we scored three goals, we could have easily netted six or seven had we made better decisions in the final third."

Milan, currently in seventh place, has achieved the remarkable feat of maintaining a clean sheet in at least five of their first seven Serie A home matches for the first time in over two decades.

"I must commend defender Matteo Gabbia; he is a true professional," Fonseca added.

"He is stepping into a significant leadership role and performing exceptionally well. I have conveyed to him my utmost satisfaction with his contract renewal. He is truly deserving of it.

"Today, we did not concede any goals and restricted Empoli's opportunities."

Earlier this week, Milan extended Gabbia's contract until 2029.

Reijnders, who scored two goals during the match, adopted a more measured tone in his remarks.

"We have not achieved anything yet; we must continue to strive for improvement," stated the 26-year-old Dutchman.

"It was a good match, but the gap to the Champions League positions is a concern. We play to win, but we are not content with our current standing."

With a game in hand, Milan has accumulated 22 points, trailing leaders Napoli by seven points, who are set to face 11th-placed Torino on Sunday.

SportsLigue