Capello highlights Fonseca’s tough start and says he has been ‘grilled by the fans’ | OneFootball

Fabio Capello has pointed out the fact that incoming AC Milan coach Paulo Fonseca has already been put under a lot of pressure by the Rossoneri fans and has got a tough set of fixtures to begin his tenure.

Speaking to La Gazzetta dello Sport (via Pianeta Milan), the former Milan coach discussed the Portuguese tactician who will start work next week with a press conference and his first training session.

Given a section of the Milan fan base wanted the club to appoint a much more established name than Fonseca, there will be pressure from the off for him to deliver attacking football that actually gets results.

As Capello points out, the Serie A fixture list was announced on Thursday afternoon and Milan will play both Lazio and Inter within the first five matches, so Fonseca will not be eased in.

“A good test, a tough one. In the third match there is Lazio, in the fifth the derby with Inter, what a start. All the more so for Fonseca, already grilled by the fans. It is shocking to see the Rossoneri without Italians in the possible starting eleven. Milan must start again with [Mike] Maignan, Theo [Hernandez] and [Rafael] Leao. The base is there, but they have to add a good centre forward to fight with Inter for the Scudetto,” Capello said.

Milan are still trying to sign a quality striker to lead the line for next season and as far as Capello is concerned, Joshua Zirkzee from Bologna should still be the primary choice.

“I would always take Zirkzee. The Dutchman is talented, he’s young and he can do a bit of everything. It’s just strange to see him always on the bench at the European Championship,” he said.