What we have learned from Sergio Conceicao’s tenure is that he will not let anyone stand in the way of creating his vision of how AC Milan should be, no matter how senior they are.
This morning’s edition of La Gazzetta dello Sport (seen below) writes about what Sunday’s win over Parma could mean for Theo Hernandez and Davide Calabria, two of the longest-standing members of the current squad.
Starting with tomorrow, Calabria will not be there. Milan will return to the pitch against Dinamo Zagreb in the final game of the first phase of the Champions League, with a win needed to secure a top eight spot.
Why won’t the (official) club captain be there? He was booked for protesting against Girona resulting in a one-match ban. That was after he came on to replace the injured Emerson, and he has left Conceicao in difficulty.
The coach does not have Calabria, the injured Emerson nor the new signing Kyle Walker (not in the squad list). Filippo Terracciano is the favourite over Fikayo Tomori to start at right-back.
A ‘misunderstanding’
Everyone saw the incident after the full-time whistle on Sunday, as Conceicao ran after Calabria and the pair had to be separated by the coaching staff and the players.
The reasons for it are as follows: after the substitution, with Milan drawing 1-1, Calabria was angry (a good sign for the club), kicking a bottle with then rebounded and ended up hitting the coach’s leg.
Conceiçao is a coach with temperament: he was absorbed in the game and pretended nothing had happened. But he has a good memory: once the game was over, he went to ask the captain about his attitude. Calabria responded in a way he did not like.
His teammates and staff members calmed things down, and then in the dressing room things were squashed for good, as Zlatan Ibrahimovic helped to do and confirmed yesterday during the unveiling of Kyle Walker as a new signing.
“It was a situation with great adrenaline. Two winners who did what they did. I have often experienced moments like that: as Fabio Capello taught me, these are things that can be good for the team,” he said.
“Conceiçao works with great emotion, as does Calabria. It’s all already resolved: it happens when everyone wants to win. That’s why I repeat that certain things are better for them to happen than not, they show that the coach and players care.
“At Milan, there’s the pressure to always get a result: against Parma, it wasn’t quality that won, but attitude, just like in the Supercoppa. With this spirit, what happened between Calabria and the coach can happen.
“From the outside it may seem more than it is, for us it is a normal thing. On an image level I understand that it was not the best: when we find continuity of results we will also have greater serenity.”
Consequences
The club have decided not to fine anyone, despite the actions on the field which many – including Fabio Capello – believe to have been not worthy of a club like Milan.
Calabria’s contract expires in June though and it is impossible to think of that, plus Conceiçao’s own future at the club which could instead be extended if the team are able to secure a top four/five spot in the league.
What about Theo Hernandez? While Rafael Leao came off at half-time due to feeling discomfort, for the left-back it was a pure coaching decision. Theo was guilty – as has happened too often lately – for the opponent’s goal.
It was not the only blunder: he created danger at the back but not up front, as his role as a full-back would require him to do. Leao is the future of the Rossoneri, the same cannot be said for Theo though.
His contract expires in the summer of 2026 and to sign the renewal he is asking for a substantial pay rise. At present this is not in line with his performances, which is the reason why the club has cooled the negotiations with his agents. To heat it up again, Theo knows what to do.
#standwithsergio
Where is the video of Calabria doing that?
To me their should sell Theo he show he want a new charpter,their should work on another left back,if Calabria can’t fight for his place he can leave too.
If Leao is the future of this team, it’s looking like a very unstable future then. Leao doesn’t have the characteristics needed to build a project around. The coach should try Tomori at RB maybe he’d be good there, Terrachano is looking more like a wasted signing every passing day.
Sell Hernadez, buy Cambiasso from Juve.
Unless Theo shapens up and return to his former self I think its time to sell him in the summer so they get paid properly for him. Might be an idea to extend the contract just to get more money from a sale.
Right now, Bartesaghi looks better then him at left back. If they can sell Theo and buy Grimaldo that would be an upswing (Estupinian from Brighton would also fit well in Conceicaos Milan). As for right back, at this point I’m all for letting both Calabria and Emerson go and let Walker be the first choice with Jimenez as backup-
Grimaldo and Walker as starting wingbacks then Bartesaghi and Jimnez as backups, with Terracciano able to fill in wheverever needed it injuries are REAL bad would be a great coverage for that position.
Calabria will be release at the end of season. For theo , his future still unclear,look like only paolo maldini can extend his contract , the best choice sell him in summer for highest bid ( unpopular decision but better than let him go free transfer)
We all respect what Sergio is trying to do but he needs to keep his emotions in check, this is Milan and he needs to remember that. The Calabria incident wasn’t great. Milan is not a Sh!t show.
He’ll surely learn. On the other note, players will also learn that they won’t mess with him as he (literally and figuratively) won’t just sit around.
But we ARE a sh!t show and have been since the season began.
oh but it has been, behind the scenes. And incidentally thats where this episode should have happened too.
Yeah I agree
I repeat what I said when Fonseca benched Theo: the normality should be for Theo to sit on the bench now. You can’t afford a defender that may concede at least 2 big chances per game to the opponent. He is passive, distracted, sloppy. If Leao plays a bad game we may not score or play less well, but if you have a defender as unreliable as Theo winning games is difficult.
Terraciano or Tomori? Where TF is Jimenez? Is he injured? One thing I don’t like about Conceicao is that he seems to have it in for some players that were doing well previously. Gabbia is an example. Now Jimenez?
Jimenez is not part of the UEFA team list… Understand now?
Then why we sell kalulu?
Really missed the opportunity to get big money for Hernandez – I imagine with a winter off and a pre-season, he’ll be back to his best at whichever club he’s at next season though
Or perhaps it will simply be because he’s somewhere else.
Can’t wait until both of these players are gone. Calabria just isn’t good enough and hasn’t been for years now.
Theo is a cancer. His poor attitude and effort spreads to other players around him. Sell him and let’s get some defenders that can actually defend.
They didn’t buy Hernandez for his defending aptitude. They bought him for his attacking prowess (which incidentally is lacking too this season). Pioli was smart to realize this and mitigated for his defensive deficiencies as best he could.
It seems though this entire season so far his head hasn’t been in the game. Not sure what’s going on.
In my opinion, better sell theo now, and leao in the future. And buy players around conceicao.
Until now, there is no coach better than him, after ancelloti era. So, give conceicao time and chance to prove it.
Always hoping on theo and leao are not the best option. Because these two players very unstable. Today they can be match hero, but next game they play bad.
But lets see, maybe with this new treatment by conceicao, theo and leao can be more reliable…well lets see
Froza milan i am back in fully cause confident is what my beloved milan team have been lacking for awhile and that what the new head coach buiding now and it all working out fine sempre milan
Calabria, the weakest captain in the world, should be sold this January.
Theo, Abraham and Leao in the summer, Tomori, next January.
These lazy and lackluster players doesn’t know what it takes to be at Milan.
You dont know much about the world, do ya kiddo?