Gonçalo Ramos gave Milan the lead from the penalty spot after a VAR review identified a handball by Atalanta defender Obric. Adrien Rabiot doubled the advantage before half-time, and Mario Gila made it 3-0 in the 57th minute.
Atalanta responded with a determined late rally. Gianluca Gaetano reduced the deficit before Nikola Krstović scored again to make it 3-2, leaving Milan under pressure in the closing stages. Mike Maignan then produced a key save to deny Davide Zappacosta and preserve the home side’s victory.
Amorim said AC Milan had been in control for more than an hour, but the first Atalanta goal changed the mood inside the stadium and affected his players’ confidence.
“We had the game under control until the 66th minute. We were closer to scoring another goal, but when we conceded, I felt everyone — on the pitch, off the pitch and even our fans — lost confidence,” the Milan coach said.
“When this team does not have the ball, it suffers a lot. Atalanta deserve credit for believing they could get back into it, but we also had problems keeping possession and defending our penalty area.”
Amorim stressed that he wanted Milan to maintain the same approach regardless of the scoreline, rather than becoming anxious when opponents gained momentum.
“A great team is not one where everyone plays well only when things are going their way, but then struggles when something happens,” he said. “I want a team capable of managing both the positive moments and the difficult ones. We are finding those difficult moments really hard.”
Atalanta coach Maurizio Sarri was frustrated that his team had started so slowly, but felt their second-half performance offered encouragement despite the defeat.
“We lacked intensity at the beginning, and our defensive aggression was too low. It was too easy for Milan to play out from their own half,” Sarri said.
He also questioned several refereeing decisions, including the penalty awarded to Milan, arguing that similar handball incidents had not been treated consistently.
“The first penalty was very soft, because Obric’s movement seemed completely natural to me. If VAR intervenes for that, it should also intervene for De Winter,” Sarri said.
The Atalanta coach was particularly pleased with the way his side finished the match, believing the comeback was built on better football as well as determination.
“We played very well in the final 30 to 35 minutes, raising the intensity and the tempo and putting them under pressure. It was not just an emotional reaction; there was good quality in our football,” he said.
Sarri said Atalanta should take confidence from forcing Milan back into their own area for half an hour, while acknowledging that the opening period needed serious analysis. Milan, meanwhile, secured the points but received a clear warning from their coach about their ability to handle pressure.