Mario Gila has backed Ruben Amorim’s methods while acknowledging Milan are still at the start of something rather than the end of it.

Speaking at the Festival dello Sport in Trento, via MilanNews.it , the defender described a coach who demands intensity in both phases of the game.

“Amorim is a coach who transmits grit, he’s aggressive in the press. He’s a modern coach, suited to European football,” Gila said. “We’re at the beginning of the project, time is needed but the results will come.”

ITALY – SEPTEMBER 20: Ruben Amorim, Manager of AC Milan, looks on before the Serie A match between AC Milan and US Lecce at Stadio Giuseppe Meazza on September 20, 2026 in Italy. (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images)

He expanded on what that means in practice, and on the demands placed on defenders in Amorim’s system .

“He’s a coach who asks you for complete things, in general. You’re not so tactical, maybe you’re a bit more impetuous, but he likes coming out with the ball from the back. In today’s football you have to be strong in both phases. He’s a tough coach, but he has the calm of knowing we’re at the start of a project. He has absolutely the right intentions and ideas. We’re happy to have him in the team.”

Gila was also honest about where Milan currently sit, having finished outside the Champions League places last season.

“For me the current level is where we are, in the Europa League. Last year we didn’t manage to get into the Champions League even though we were there all year. For one factor or another you didn’t get in, and in the end the level is the Europa League.

From a tactical formation and squad depth perspective, "Gila’s honest Milan assessment: ‘We’re a Europa League team with Scudetto ambitions’" carries substantial tournament implications for international seeding and domestic campaign momentum. Coaching staffs are heavily weighing high-pressing efficiency (PPDA), defensive transition pace, and fixture fatigue management.

Tactical analysts monitoring Champions League metrics emphasize that squad adaptability and set-piece execution will likely dictate outcomes in high-leverage knockout environments. Real-time match telemetry and tracking data continue to inform managerial decision-making.

Editorial Fact-Check & Verification Note: This briefing was curated, corroborated, and synthesized by the Soccer2026 Global Editorial Desk. Readers following "Gila’s honest Milan assessment: ‘We’re a Europa League team with Scudetto ambitions’" are encouraged to review the full primary source coverage linked below for complete historical context, direct quotes, and official statements.