Paulo Fonseca believes Milan have shown "signs of growth" in the Champions League, as he looks to get their first win against Club Brugge on Tuesday. (More Football News)
Milan faced Liverpool and reigning Bundesliga champions Bayer Leverkusen in their op🔯ening two games in the co🍬mpetition, losing the first 3-1 at home and the latter 1-0.
They were outplayed in their opener, managing just two shots on target from eight efforts, compared t꧅o Liverpool's 11 from 23, with the Reds also racking up 3.09 expected goals (xG) to Milan's 0.61.
Fonseca's side put on a better show at the BayArena against Leverkusen, and the Portuguese head coach hopes they can translate that into a victory in what iꦗs almost a must-win match.
"We star🦹ted against two of the strongest teams in Europe right now. They were two different games," he told reporters.
"Difficulties against Liverpool, quality against Leverkusen, especiallꦇy in the second half. We didn't win, but we showed signs of ๊growth.
"We have to continue🗹 to grow in this competition, and we want to win if we want 🐼to have a chance to continue. It's not decisive, but it is important, we have to win."
Fonseca also confiౠrmed Rafael Leao and Theo Hernandez will return to the sta♈rting line-up after missing Saturday's Serie A match against Udinese.
Hernandez was suspendeꦇd 💦for that game after his red card in the 2-1 defeat at Fiorentina, while the winger was dropped to the bench after that loss, which left Fonseca furious.
Samuel Chukwueze, who scored the winner against Udinese, is set to be among the substꩲitutes against Brugge as Fonseca took the♔ unusual step of naming his line-up.
"They will play tomorr🔯oꦕw from the first minute," he added.
"I expect from them what I ꦛexpe🌠ct from everyone, that they give their best to help Milan win. It's a normal situation, even for them. And tomorrow they play."
"I will tell you straight away [Tuesday's] team. Mike Maignan, Emerson Royal, Matteo Gabbia, Fikayo Tomori, Hernandez, Youssouf Fofana, Ruben Loftus-Cheek, Tijani Reijnওders, Leao, Christian Pulisic, Alvaro Morata.&♎quot;
Milan have a shortage of strikers. Tammy Abraham went off injured minutes after coming onto th🐓e pitch on Saturday, while Luka Jovic was not included in the Champions League squad.
Francesco Camarda has been called up f🎐rom the youth squad ▨and if he were to come on and score at 16 years and 226 days, he would become the youngest-ever scorer in the competition.
"This is not a normal situation♉ to have Abraham and Jovic out,&🧸quot; Fonseca said. "Normally we always have solutions, plus we have Camarda in whom we believe a lot. I don't think we need other players in this position."
