The coach of AC Milan Paulo Fonseca says the introduction of Nigerian winger Samuel Chukwueze changed the game in his team’s 3-1 win over Club Brugge in the UEFA Champions League, OwnGoalNigeria.com reports.
Fresh from his man of the performance against Udinese where he scored the winner, Chukwueze was surprisingly dropped to the bench with Portuguese winger Rafael Leao returning back to the team.
With Milan tied at 1-1 in the 60th minute against Brugge who were reduced to ten men in the 40th minute following the sending off of Chukwueze’s international teammate Raphael Onyedika, Fonseca introduced the Nigerian and one minute later his team took the lead for the first time in the game.
Chukwueze ensured the game is put to bed with an assist for Reijnders to help the midfielder grabbed his brace and in the process seals his club’s first win in the competition this season. Fonseca picked his introduction alongside Noah Okafor as the turning point of the game.
“I think we improved with the entry of Okafor and Chukwueze. When Okafor and Chukwueze came on, the game changed; they brought energy, and the team gained intensity. After the second goal, we did some very good things, but before that, we played without intensity”, he told SkySports after the game.
“There’s no specific problem with him (Leão). The substitution wasn’t a punishment; we needed Okafor and Chukwueze. It should be seen as normal; Rafa needs to see it as normal and work to help the team like all players.”
He rounded up by saying the Nigerian could regain his starting spot when they take on Bologna in the Italian Serie A on Saturday with the duo of Christian Pulisic and Okafor. ” Chukwueze, Pulisic, and Okafor from the start? “Maybe. I’m thinking about that now.
