Amorim’s Camarda verdict points to a different role for Cisse

“He can run for all 90 minutes,” Rubén Amorim said of Francesco Camarda, but the Milan coach wants more explosiveness, stride and rhythm from the young striker. The assessment came after Milan’s 4-0 win over Salzburg, a result that also gave Amorim another look at Alphadjo Cisse as he searches for the right attacking balance.

Amorim praised Camarda’s reading of the game and movement in the box, while making clear that improvement is needed before he can be trusted to start demanding matches. “We are working on it,” the coach said. It was a development verdict, not a rejection: Camarda has qualities, but Amorim wants him to sustain his work and add more pace to his game.

Cisse offers a contrasting option. The 2006-born forward has areas to improve, particularly intensity and technical cleanliness, but Amorim’s assessment of the attacking group points to a distinctive strength: no one else has the same instinct to attack goal. Cisse can make runs towards either post and may also be considered as a false nine, giving Milan another way to support Gonçalo Ramos.

That matters because Ramos needs better service and more help in the final 30 metres. Amorim has rotated several players around him, with Christian Pulisic, Cisse, Moreira and Alexis Saelemaekers featuring on the left, and Ruben Loftus-Cheek, Adrien Rabiot, Moreira and Hutchinson used on the right. The mix reflects an ongoing search for combinations that can create more effectively while also contributing without the ball.

Amorim’s broader aim is to make Milan’s attack part of the team’s defending. He wants forwards and technically strong midfielders to help initiate that work, while the side improves its use of the ball and space. Cisse’s willingness to attack the box could help solve one attacking problem, but Camarda’s development remains a separate project: game intelligence alone is not enough if he cannot match the physical demands Amorim is setting.

The Salzburg win is encouraging, but the Austrian side’s limitations make it a poor basis for grand conclusions. Milan are fifth in Serie A with 12 points from six matches and an unbeaten record of three wins and three draws. The next test is at home to Atalanta on Sunday, October 18, as Amorim’s attacking combinations face a demanding run of fixtures before the next international break.