Paulo Fonseca was quick to dismiss talk of any tension with Rafael Leao and Theo Hernandez, who both appeared to snub him shortly after coming off the bench.
The pair came off the bench to help earn a 2-2 draw with Lazio on Saturday, being brought on in a quadruple change by Fonseca after being left out of the starting line-up.
Milan were losing 2-1 at the time of their introduction, and they immediately turned things around, with Hernandez and debutant Tammy Abraham, another substitute, involved in Leao's equaliser.
Minutes later, the game stopped for a cooling break, with both managers using the opportunity to instruct their players, but both Leao and Hernandez remained on the far side of the pitch, taking no part in the team talk.
"The situation with Theo and Leao, there is no problem and I think Theo has already explained," Fonseca told DAZN.
"We don't need to create any problems. This week I spoke with the players and they accepted my decision. There is no problem, I was concentrated, and I didn't see that they weren't there."
Hernandez had already given his reasons immediately after the game.
"We had been on for two minutes, we didn't need the cooling break," Hernandez said.
"It was nothing against the team and the coach. Then people talk, say things that aren't true. Rafa and I are always with the team to help, and that is the important thing."
Milan are still without a league win this season after three games, but Fonseca says he saw a decent performance in the opening half, giving him something to work on.
"We had a good first half. We always managed the game well with the ball. When you control the game like this, we have to have more moments to become dangerous, but it's something we have to work on," Fonseca told Milan TV.
"We must always have the courage we had in the first half because we did good things. If we had won the other two games, this could have been a good result, but it is not so. But we have to start from today's first half."
Sugar Boyz Coach Francisco Molina names squad for crucial CONCACAF Nations League matches
St. Kitts and Nevis' Senior Men's team head coach, Francisco Molina, has unveiled his squad for the upcoming CONCACAF Nations League matches, as the Sugar Boyz prepare to take on the Cayman Islands and the British Virgin Islands in crucial League C encounters.
The Sugar Boyz will play in two matches at the Truman Bodden Stadium in the Cayman Islands. On September 7, they face off against the Cayman Islands, followed by a clash against the British Virgin Islands on September 10. These matches are crucial for the team’s aspirations in the CONCACAF Nations League, and Coach Molina is confident that his squad has what it takes to rise to the challenge.
The squad, carefully selected for the task at hand, features a mix of seasoned players and emerging talent. In goal, the team will rely on the expertise of Julani Archibald, who will be supported by Kai Trotman and Joshua Warde.
In defence, the Sugar Boyz will look to Malique Roberts, Omarion Liburd, and Andre Burley to provide stability, while Marvin McSheen and Raheem Hanley add depth and versatility to the backline.
The midfield is anchored by the dynamic Tyquan Terrell, alongside Jahlyan Burt, Kyle Kelly, and Yohannes Mitchum, who bring a blend of creativity and tenacity. Nequan Browne and Mervin Lewis are expected to contribute their experience, while Theo Wharton offers an additional attacking option.
Upfront, the team boasts an array of attacking talent, with Tiquanny Williams and Javern Matthew leading the charge. They will be joined by Kimaree Rogers and Shevene Boston, whose speed and agility are sure to trouble opposing defences. De'quan Hamilton and Dionis Stephens add further firepower, while the promising G’vaune Amory rounds out the attacking lineup.
As St. Kitts and Nevis aim to make their mark in the competition, the nation will be eagerly watching, hopeful that the Sugar Boyz can deliver strong performances and bring home vital victories.
Maresca: Chelsea on right track despite Palace draw
Enzo Maresca believes Chelsea are on the right track despite being pegged back to a 1-1 draw by Crystal Palace in the Premier League on Sunday.
Nicolas Jackson scored during a dominant first half for the Blues, but they had to share the points after Eberechi Eze's stunning long-range strike.
Dean Henderson's work in goal also frustrated Chelsea, who got seven of their 13 shots on target, creating 2.27 expected goals, but they struggled to recreate the clinical showing they put on at Wolves last weekend.
Despite still searching for their first Premier League home win of his tenure, Maresca was proud of his team's performance.
"We completely deserved to win the game," Marseca told Sky Sports. "We had many, many chances.
"The most important thing was the performance, and the performance was there. We conceded just two shots today.
"We didn't take the three points but playing the way we did today, I think we will win games.
"I feel a bit of shame for the result, but not the performance. The direction is the correct one.
"With the players arriving now, we can even better."
Palace were perhaps fortunate not to go down to 10 men in the second half, with Will Hughes not receiving what would have been a second booking for a foul on Palmer just before Eze equalised.
Asked if he believed it should have been a red card, Maresca admitted it would have changed the picture of the game.
"This kind of thing for sure changes the game," he added.
"It was a clear second yellow card, but the referee thinks in different ways. In that moment, we were also 1-0 up and the game completely would change 11 v 10."
Howe salutes Tonali support on return in Tottenham win
Eddie Howe paid tribute to Newcastle United's fans for their support of Sandro Tonali, who made his Premier League return in the 2-1 win over Tottenham.
Tonali came on as a 68th-minute substitute for his first league appearance since serving a 10-month ban for breaching betting regulations.
Many Italy-themed flags were on display before the game in support of the midfielder, who also appeared from the bench in the midweek Carabao Cup clash with Nottingham Forest, while a banner read: 'Midfield maestro from Milano'.
And Howe was delighted by the Toon Army's response on the day when Alexander Isak's 78th-minute strike settled the contest.
"I didn't know that was going to happen with the wall of flags, so it was a brilliant surprise," Howe said. "Visually, it was incredible.
"Sandro was emotional and his performance when he came on was outstanding. It was just amazing from the fans, it does not surprise me, but it's so important that the relationship between players and supporters is so strong.
"It was very different to [him coming on in the] Nottingham Forest game. We were in need of a spark and I thought he gave us that."
Howe also spoke of his desire to put what was a relatively subdued transfer window behind Newcastle, with the Magpies notably failing with several bids to land Crystal Palace and England defender Marc Guehi.
"I think it's always important to try to build momentum in your season, and it's been a turbulent time for the club off the pitch throughout this last transfer window," he added.
"But that's shut now, so hopefully we can just concentrate on the football and get the players playing as well as they can."
Meanwhile, matchwinner Isak also saluted Newcastle's supporters after opening his account for the campaign to secure all three points.
"It is my first goal for the season so it's a good feeling to score and get the win," he told Sky Sports.
"Generally, we weren't expecting to have too much of the ball. We wanted to be dangerous on the counter-attack. It wasn't the most beautiful game from our side, but we defended really well and scored two, so that's good.
"We've always felt like we have that extra energy at home. We have spoken about using that. In the second half, when we had a bit of a dip in our performance, we got some energy. Small changes made a big difference and really helped us get the win."
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