Portuguese manager Ruben Amorim has opened up about the lessons he took from his short-lived spell at Manchester United, expressed regret towards the club’s supporters, and clarified his stance on comparisons with Jose Mourinho, while also refusing to criticise his predecessor at Milan, Max Allegri.

Amorim, who was dismissed by Manchester United in January, has now returned to management as the new head coach of Serie A giants AC Milan. The 41-year-old faced the media in his first press conference since taking charge and reflected on his journey so far.

When asked about what he had learned from his time at Old Trafford, Amorim explained, “It’s hard to describe the mistakes without going into the full context of that period, and I am now a Milan coach, so my focus is on Milan. All I can say is that I learned a lot and indeed made some mistakes.”

He added, “I didn’t get the chance to address Manchester United fans, and I’m sorry for that. I was proud to be their coach for a year, but that chapter is closed. There were many things I could have done better, but that’s life—you learn and grow, finding the right place to reach a different level. That’s my aim here.”

“Everyone learns from their experiences. While some things don’t change, I believe I’ll be a better coach because of it. That’s all I can say,” Amorim concluded on the topic.

Amorim steps into the role following the sacking of Allegri, who lost his position after failing to secure a Champions League berth for Milan last season. Club owner Gerry Cardinale had publicly criticised Allegri’s approach, stating his desire for Milan to ‘win and not just try not to lose’—a sentiment that placed immediate focus on Amorim’s playing philosophy.

When questioned about Cardinale’s remarks, Amorim responded carefully: “I can only talk about my vision. I have great respect for Mister Allegri—no one respects him more than I do. He’s very experienced. I won’t comment on how Milan played before. I’ll just explain how I want us to play.”

He continued, “We want possession; we want to dominate opponents. This team already defends very well, but our ideas differ, as is normal with any coach. I’ll adapt once I know my players better, but my principles are clear: we must win the ball back quickly, entertain the fans, and play exciting football. At big clubs, winning is non-negotiable—a draw feels like a defeat. We’ll play to score and be dominant.”

Amorim was also asked about comparisons with fellow Portuguese tactician Jose Mourinho, who famously led Inter Milan to a historic treble in 2010. Dismissing any notion of emulating Mourinho’s persona, Amorim said, “No, I’m completely different from Jose Mourinho. Of course, I’ve learned a lot from him, but as a manager you must follow your own personality—you can’t copy anyone. My playing style is different, though I hope to win as much as he did in Italy—that’s the only similarity I’d like!”

He elaborated, “I have huge respect for Mourinho and consider him a friend, but I am my own person. Don’t expect me to behave like him. Sometimes, after a loss, I say things I probably shouldn’t, but I’ve learned from the mistakes I made at Manchester United. I’ll focus on improving small details to help my players get better. I also expect to win more matches than draw—and I don’t even want to think about losing. Communication will be easy if we keep winning.”

Amorim’s appointment marks another chapter in Milan’s managerial evolution, following other Portuguese coaches such as Paulo Fonseca and Sergio Conceicao, who struggled to fully impose their philosophies at the club. Milan fans will be hoping Amorim’s fresh perspective and attacking approach can bring back sustained success to San Siro.