Sergio Conceicao spoke to the media after AC Milan’s disappointing defeat to Feyenoord in the first leg of the Champions League play-off. The explanation was a lot of the usual, but the manager at least highlighted that they still have 90 minutes left.
Milan conceded just three minutes into the game, due to a Mike Maignan howler, and that certainly set the tone for the rest. Feyenoord were filled with even more energy and were able to intensify their pressing, making life difficult for the Rossoneri.
Conceicao spoke to Prime Video after the game, as transcribed by MilanNews, and said that Milan weren’t aggressive enough. It’s something he has said after games before and fans are starting to wonder when the solution will arrive.
On the game…
“We are halfway through. We still have 90 minutes to play. We knew about this difficult environment here in Rotterdam, they were very aggressive, they won many duels. When it’s like this it becomes more difficult to win a match.
“We had chances to equalise and we weren’t effective on an offensive level. There was also a bit of bad luck in the goal we conceded. We lacked aggression in the duels, they were always faster and more aggressive. We knew about their strength on second balls, these are very important things.”
Will you continue with four attackers?
“Look at this game. The players need to see what they can improve but there’s not much time to work on the pitch. On Saturday, we have Verona and then on Tuesday, there are 90 minutes to play and things to improve to win and get through to the round of 16 of the Champions League.”
Is it necessary to keep the motivation level high?
“On an emotional level, I’m always very motivated to give the best of myself. If we are not motivated in a Champions League match… The qualities for me are not only technical, there are many characteristics that players must have to be at the highest level: consistency, continuity, desire, and attitude.
“With this, you win many matches. On a playing level, we also need this offensive aggression. We had many balls in the last 30 meters that we should have finished in another way. On an emotional and motivational level, therefore, we must certainly always be at the top.”
The second leg is scheduled for next week, Tuesday to be precise, and Milan are hoping that the home advantage will make all of the difference. Turning around a one-goal deficit is certainly doable, but ideally it would have been at least a draw.
Conceicao doesn’t have luck.
He did something good after becoming the coach. But so bad play by Milan and lost points in serie a and UCL, make his job and tas impossible to achieve.
In so important games like this or dinamo, your players can’t do errors like Gabbia and Maignan.
It is so affect the team that even other players can’t bounce up again to play, and not just error makers.
This team await some tough year to come, after this season finish…
The team is clearly not following him, especially the usual suspects who seem to detest the very concept of having a coach.
Maybe they should then just appoint Theo & Leao as the head coach and see them thrive, eh?
Those two jokers are the reason for the apathy in the squad – both need to go – drop them now to the bench and put Sottil and Barteshagi down the left side.
It used to be our main weapon, now it is a thorn in our sides..
I agree those two should be starters on Saturday. Can’t do worse now can they?
It’s half time. The second half needs to be better. Hopefully Conceicao continues his record of second half improvements
Leao has been doing more harm than good to this team since the scudetto winning season. When he shows up he can single-handedly win games but when he doesn’t, it’s like we are playing a man down. And in the last 2 seasons he doesn’t show more often than not. We should have cashed in on him when we had the chance.
Camarda should start playing 90 minutes against smaller teams like verona he needs more experience and confidence. Tammy is just awful
Are you okay in the head? Camarda hasn’t scored a single decisive goal for the senior squad all season and you want him to start for Abraham, who has scored more decisive goals?
The kid needs more game time Kenny and has much much more potential than Tammy.
From the chances Abraham has had, I’m sure Camarda would have bagged more goals already.
It’s hard to see what else Conceicao could do with the lineup in this game with the list restrictions we have in the UCL at the moment.
What were the alternatives?
To play 433 would have required either Terracciano or perhaps Tomori to have started in midfield. Not sure why no List B midfield players were not included in the starting lineup.
Otherwise they could have move to 352 to take advantage of our depth in CBs and then put less pressure on Fofana & Rjeinders.
Or else start Terracciano/Tomori in the double pivot with Fofana. Move Rjeinders to CAM and send one of Felix/Leao to the bench.
Many of these other options would have meant there was no spare midfield players on the bench.
In saying that though. He should have reacted sooner and start pulling players from the front 4 sooner.
On the 60th minute he swaps two CBs. why???
And removes Pulisic who is the most reliable of the 4 forwards…. Again why was he the one to remove?
then no more changes until the 83 minute and it is just more like for like swaps. Perhaps Camarda was going to play more in a 442 with Abraham in the little time that was left.
I have said this before, if we must field our “fantastic 4” and play effectively, we must have a strong double pivot physical enough and cover a lot of grounds.
In such a setup, I’m sorry but Reijnders has no place, we need another physical number 6 to pair with Fofana, maybe Bongo. Conceicao knows this, but he lets his emotions guide his decisions.
It’s kinda difficult for Conceicao though.
If we play 4-4-2, Leao is gone.
If we play 4-2-3-1, Reijnders is gone if he’s not the AM.
The only steady formation for this team right now is 4-3-3, but then again his emotions will prick him as it may mean sacrificing either Leao, Gimenez or Puli for J.Felix or he will sit on the bench.
I will opt for the 4-3-3 because J.Felix can play across the front 3, and having such a quality on the bench would create competition for whoever isn’t playing well during the match. Especially Leao.
Re. “no List B midfield players were not included in the starting lineup.”
I meant to say not included in the matchday squad rather than starting lineup.
Isn’t Mussah there?
He was suspended
Haha… he’s the reason we are playing this knock out in the first place, by getting a red card and thus losing the top 8 spot in our last match.
Santi Gimenez shouldn’t be on the pitch in his current form—both Abraham and Camarda are clearly a level above him. He is too slow, both physically and in decision-making, making him a liability on the field.
Everyone needs to calm the f down. We need to remember that Feyenoord just fired their coach, which many players didn’t like, and so they were overly hyped. That plus the free gift Mike gave them at the first minute which ended up lighting the entire stadium up. And it’s a tough stadium to play in, make no mistake.
Gimenez needs a slap on the face, Felix needs to work more on his chemistry with the others, and Pulisic should always be on the field. We will get them at San Siro.
Fonzy was never a proper solution but under him players like Puli, Reijnders and Fofana at least performed. With Sergio, I don’t see anything special with any of the players. Just tireless running around. And the toxic ones are still toxic.
Sergio can go and sit on the dugout if he wanst to as the ice box seems to be inadequate for all his pacing around. Screaming and yelling aint working either. What Fonseca was scolded for is what he is doing now and everyone is quiet. Such is life. Fonsy tried to fix the rot, but it has eaten too deep. Coaches pampered the THEAO network because they had no “system” built that could work without them, no patern of play which any player would slot into and click. they relied on the personal brilliance of those players and everyone else had to play to their pattern. Well, thos eplayers have been found out: first a 35 yr old marks out Leao, we say he had an off day; yesterday he was even worse, Sergio’s shouting and all ahs not improved the lethargic attitude the same set of players are showing.
To even think that management wanted to sell Pavlo, given his current form would have been committing seppuku by Milan.
Walker was given the walk around by that winger yesterday, he was toyed with all game, he aint speedy gonzalez no more, he’s 34.
The best matches Milan have played all season was under Fonsy, the masterclass vs Madrid & the masterclass vs inter, aside that its been much of the same old dreary stuff. fightback adrenaline rush has worn out, now we go behind and stay behind. Pathetic.
Agree with you
And what about Leao’s behavior in the first half, related to the so called penalty incident? ( and was not given because it wasn’t)
Laying down on the pitch like injured and suddenly popping up like nothing happened when he thought that he can receive the ball, was disgusting 😞 😞
Leao earn just disgrace and buzz when he touched the ball.
I felt just shame.
This is not Milan I know !!!
No even self respect.
How can we demand respect for the fans ?
Leao to be sold because he is a disgrace to AC Milan team, he play selfish attacker yesterday, leao if he lose ball, he can’t chase the ball, the management have to make a decision to sell leao, if AC Milan as a Team want to do well nest season, this people will still win again, because they are playing to win, not doing big boy like
leao, the Coach is okay, but the inner problem Milan have is Leao and theao,
If Pulisic was subbed off due to fatigue, Ok. if he was subbed off because of performance, not OK. He is the only playmaker in the front four. Jamene and Leao should have been benched first. Felix takes shots when he should be passing to a player in a better position to score. Playmaking was very poor.
The coach has to be held responsible.
We have a whole 90mins at home left. No need to panic. I have hope of course because of our quality and ability but in the back of my mind I know it’s going to be a tough return leg
You guys should look deep and question the coaches tactics,he sucks and lack game understanding.he is not a good coach. He attacks with defenders. And give space to opponents to hit us with counter